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I am not too sure of the details. I think one or two large towns have been closed of and are now being treated as crime scenes.
Personally our phone is running hot friends and family are asking about my son and his family.
Now I know he is safe and where he is I can actually sleep.
I still find it hard to watch TV or listen to any radio news.
Talking about it here in FP to friends has helped me get through the worst parts of all that has happened and is still happening.
Today's news several big towns are now under threat. And the death toll is still rising as police and fire members go looking for missing people in the burnt out towns.

Marg is now playing a CD she also has enough and is just coping.

Keith Happier now

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Well the friend that had fires surrounding her is safe for now. From what she tell me though it was pretty terrifying. Elvis the helicopter was overhead dumping water, 25+ fire trucks along the street in the back yard. The fire blazed past her house and up the hill.

I've been busying myself making sandwiches and taking them to the local fire station. Have also registered as an emergency animal carer.

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

I know most of our work has not even started yet it is just being there for your family when they need you. I still do not know how my son survived he will tell me one day. Knowing him he is possibly helping others as much as he can.
Lindy I know exactly how you feel when you know "They are safe" it is a fantastic relief.

We have some cloths to go when we find out exactly where to send them to. I hope to find out tomorrow from the local Salvos (Salvation Army) as they are affectionately know in Aussie land

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Keith, I would say the salvos would take care of the clothing for you.
My friend in Healesville is on alert again. She can see flames on the side of the Mt 900m away. I think some back burning is going to be done tonight by the firies.

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

Lindy, so glad you can do something to help out, sandwiches may seem simple but I'm sure it has been very appreciated.

We've been hearing about blood donations and it's times like this when I really wish I could donate (they don't let me cause I keep passing out and I'm too little ).

Heard about a woman who had to let her horses loose before the fire took them, a neighbor had to bury them later that night.

^_^

I know that every little bit helps. Our prayers are with you all. Even though brush fires don't compare to the horrible rolls of fire you have, I remember a drought we had a few years back. The sad thing is you will all ways have nut jobs drawn to the beauty and destruction of flames. We had fires all along the freeways and highways because of them. People were afraid of being trapped in their cars on the roads. Then, you have the dofuss(es) that don't think when they toss a cigarette out of a moving vehicle. Not 3 minutes later you have a raging fire on the side of the road or in the median. And these idiots would do it during rush hour traffic! If you "have" to smoke, why can't you put it out in your "ashtray". Don't toss it out the flippin' window. I've actually had someones' cigarette fly in my lap while driving. And we wonder were "road rage" starts. I thank GOD we don't have many forest fires here in Michigan, but it happens all too often in California.

Again my prayers are with you all and I pray you get a steady mist and drizzle of rain. (Not too heavy, you'll open a new can of worms with that, i.e. mudslides, floods)

TTFN --->Ta-Ta-For-Now
Kelly ;o}

Kelly

All I can say is thank you. When you have personally been touched by the fires its people who dont know you as such but come in contact with you in one way or another send their kind and personal thoughts.
At the moment its hard not to talk to any one who either has a personal contact or knows of some one who has in some way or another the fires have touched their lives. I have heard of children wanting to send their toys to other kids.

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Keith, Sunday night my two ran off to their rooms and grabbed some teddy bears and books and spare pj's after seeing some footage on the tv.
Thanks for you thoughts Kelly.

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

Sunset tonight The wind is up, and there has been some ash falling. The fires today have been closer to us than they have since this all started.






Babel, you know the wildlife place we went to when you came to visit? They have evacuated all the animals to the Melbourne Zoo.

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

Yeah I remember, I'm glad they're taking some steps for precaution. Better to move the animals before hand just in case so they don't have to leave them behind while evacuating humans.


Your boys are smart Lindy, I'd be grabbing my teddy bear (had koala not ripped it's head off) and keeping it near by to be ready to run if I had to.

Really hope they don't advance anymore. Just looking at those pics make it hard to breathe cant imagine being there!


^_^

This was sunrise this morning Sat14th about 7.30am I am South west of Lindy and about one hrs drive we are mainly getting the smoke and smoke smells from the Gippsland areas.

I got my first E/m this morning from my family at Ling lake all are safe and well. Apparently they had to ride it out in a bath of water and covered with wet blankets and when It was too hot they went outside to where the grasses had burnt and covered up again. They were the lucky ones. The house was severely damaged but not burnt to the ground just his cars/work truck and sheds,
Naturally they are not all there now only the son keeping an eye on things and stopping looters, Some areas have big signs "LOOTERS WILL BE SHOT" the locals have had enough. One town has been given big stickers for their cars no sticker not allowed in town.

Keith A lot happier now

Attached Image:

A bush fire sunrise Feb 09

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

How are things turning out? Have they got it all under control or should we continue to worry about you guys?

Now they are starting to talk about floodings but that was going on before the fires, wasn't it?

Hope you and yours are still ok!

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So here I am once more...

You dont need to worry about me for now.
The fires are still burning, 5 of them are not controlled.. 17 contained.. they are just burning through national parks and state forests.
In all so far about 300,000 Ha has been burnt.
And you go up north into NSW and Queensland and they are enduring flooding. Australia has gone mad!

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

South of us

North of us

Jesus...its like two different worlds.
Hope everything settles down soon guys.

New fires flared up today. On the other side of the mountain that I live at the base of. Very smoky

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

By the time you read this those fires have a lot closer.

Melbourne had a very strong wind change late this afternoon Mon 23rd. By all reports it is exactly what the firefighters did not want.

The next few days are expected to be cooler but by the end of the week Fri temps could easily be 40C.

There are still fires out of control and no good rain in sight to help put them out.
Some sights are still considered crime scenes.

I am several hrs drive from the big fires and this morning clear visibility 1.5 klm

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

We have had good visibility the last few days, but within the 10 mins I took to go in, get Ryan from Karate and back to the car I could barely see the traffic lights 100m away. That was at 6pm.
Cant see Mt Dandenong as it is covered in smoke.

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/incidents/images/news_image/state_overview_media_map_going_20090224_0240_22297.pdf

I am right near Lilydale. The fire on Mt Dandenong was put out during the night.

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

That's good to hear lindy!


you sure were close!


^_^

that one right near lilydale is still burning as it pleases.
The one i thought was put out overnight isnt, but is controlled.

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

The Air quality must be pretty bad for you guys? I know I've smelled when people burn debris ( ) in their yards and the woodsmoke here is different from what I'm used to. It's a lot harder to breathe.

Weather forecast looks to be a tad helpful over the weekend.


^_^

Air quality has not been great, I think everyone I know has a sore throat, a few a bit more asthmatic than usual, but I can live with it when you compare it to what some people are going through.

They are worried about friday, as it is going to be the first day since Black Saturday that the conditions are very nearly the same. Wont be as hot though.

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

As you know we are over 1hrs good drive from the closest fires and the smoke some days actually stings my sensitive eyes.
At the moment Wed 25th there are still 7 fires out of control.
I think all Victorians are saying when will it end, and still sign of a good rain to put them out.
After the hot day on Fri 27th I have heard they are expecting thunder storms this could mean more fires from lightening strikes.

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

We were going to go camping over easter, but cant at our favourite spot... its been burnt out. All that beautiful bushland gone.

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

A small grass fire only 10min drive from us and only minutes from the Daughters home. Possibly lit by a cigarette butt as it is close to a tourist road.

At the moment about 5pm Fri 27th there have been 22 fires attended by our country fire authorities today alone most are under control, and that is the way they want it, especially when the strong winds arrive within the next few hrs.
It will be a dry change by that they mean thunderstorms, lightning strikes and no rain.

Keith

UPDATE about 15 min later

Two lightning strike fires already as change approaches no further details yet. This lightening is ahead of the change with little or no rain behind it to put out the new fires.

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Like you guys really need anything more, we're hearing about earthquakes!!!




^_^

I know!! Freak me out!!

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

The quake was so small I thought it was the cat stretching on the bed last night, then she sat up and looked around and went back to sleep.

Babelfish then you have this far north of you.
CYCLONE HAMISH
Our quake info
TREMOR ROCKS MELBOURNE
Dont forget this bush fire too
BUSH FIRE STILL GOING

Finally we also have snow in our alps.

Well it is Australia never a dull day.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info
Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

And now if all the fires, and floods weren't enough....


Thanks to cyclone Hamish we now have an oil spill on one of our local beaches here in the Brisbane area.


Adam and I go diving out that way


^_^

Dang, and I was wondering why I'm still in Michigan!

TTFN --->Ta-Ta-For-Now
Kelly ;o}

wow I don't quite know why that was funny, I must be tired


Found out yesterday when we were at the dive shop dropping our computers off for new batteries (and finding out the trip I wanted to go on was booked ) that once they had towed the ship back into the port of Brisbane they didn't put a float ring around it and it spilled further oil into the Brisbane river ! ! That and that the spill is being reported as 5X worse than originally thought.

Dive boat for this weekend was canceled and we don't know when we'll be allowed to go back out .


^_^

Babelfish

Is there any news on all those missing containers of chemicals. Those containers must not have been corectly fixed down or for some reason they went over board during the storm.

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

We had another tremor this afternoon. Dont know anything about it yet other than other felt it too.

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

No keith, even with the navy ships out looking. Being election week both parties are using the oilspill to fling mud (or oil!)


Lindy, the news mentioned the earthquakes... of course their wording was "breaking news 10 minutes ago an earthquake..." this was about an hour after you mentioned it

I was really hoping to go out diving this weekend (granted our computers are still at the shop for a battery change).


^_^

I'm pretty sure the containers are supposed to go overboard in certain situations. The way they are secured is designed so that in the event that the ship is in peril, some cargo can be jetisoned for the good of the ship. I imagine that would mean that you couldn't secure it too well else you'd have a lot of trouble getting it loose in inclament weather.

I think this was washing overboard rather than actually being jettisoned, but still I think that there wouldn't be too many ways to secure stacks of shipping containers that would hold fast through a cyclone.

Is there any news on the oil impact on wildlife yet?



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