Victoria is burning. Yesterday was the hottest day on record in Melbourne with 47 degrees and hot strong winds fanning the state. Walking outside was like walking into a hair dryer. It was predicted to be a day of extreme fire danger and this prediction proved to be true with fires across the entire state that are well up there with the Ash Wednesday fires of 1983.
Entire towns have been destroyed in massive fires all around the state. So far news reports have confirmed 36 people dead across the state and many many more houses and property burnt to the ground. It is scary to see the images of the fires on TV and on the net.
We have been down in Waratah Bay camping for the last ten days and yesterday went to Kylie's sister's wedding. What a hot day for it! We could start to smell the smoke during the wedding ceremony and then could see the smoke from fires nearby in the hills. The fire caused evacuation of nearby Yarram and lots of people at the wedding were concerned about their own properties and the houses and lives of friends and family.
It seems every year some ridiculous people see fit to light the state on fire on days like this one - I just don't understand how some peoples heads work and why you could want to cause this sort of loss and devastation to people.
The day we left Melbourne to drive down here our own suburb had fires in the Paddocks behind our house. We had packed up the car to go camping and as Ky, Spence and I drove off I looked behind us and could see the flames from the fires just a kilometre or two from our house. But you know, I thought to myself, everything that I care most about in this world is here with me. I don't care about the house and our possessions as long as Ky and Spence are with me, it's all ok.
But we were lucky. In comparison to the fires of yesterday and those that continue to burn today, ours were nothing. I feel for all those people who have been involved in the fires and really think the CFA volunteers are amazing.
I've attached some pics - these are from the herald sun website and were taken by Chris Sheffield and Jake Valance.
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