Please spare a thought for the horrible time we are currently going through here in Southern Australia 
and thank-you to those of you who have contacted Ross, Paul and myself over this past week expressing concern.
This last week would have to be one of the darkest in our 200 year history, and for the EFILive team it's so close to home.
In a 24 hour period, approx 300 lives were lost in our devastating bush fires. At this stage, the "official" death count is only 181 because of the ongoing fires, and the dangerous issues of re-accessing the fire ravaged areas. (Try sifting through a home that's only 3 inches high looking for entire families, which is what our volunteer fire fighters (some of which are our friends) are currently doing)
Whilst the EFILive team hasn't been directly affected - we are all safe and well, we've been uncomfortably close to the action. We have family in most of the affected areas, family working to create fire breaks, family isolated in towns all week surrounded by fire, and friends who have lost everything. Today walking to pick our children up from school ash was falling, and we've been blanketed in smoke for a couple of days now. Ross and I live about 30 minutes from the major fires in an area that is unlikely to be affected.
To give perspective on the weather conditions of last Saturday, we've been in drought for 8-10 years. The areas affected were very heavily bushed - most of it was National Park land with nice little towns tucked in between. 6-8 foot long embers were travelling up to 5kms ahead of the fire front. The fire was moving at over 100kms per hour in speed - giving many residents only 5 or 6 minutes warning (the main reason why so many perished) The swirling winds also meant that embers were flying in many directions causing many many spot fires and increasing the size of the fire front very rapidly.
My parents chose not to be home on Saturday due to the expected weather conditions - 2 miles up their road 3 people lost their lives, and within another 2 mile radius another 30-40 people perished in the next 2 towns.
30 minutes drive away from my parents, my sister's town was evacuated, and surrounded by fire. At this stage they are still looking for around 30 people who are still missing, presumed dead. As a kindergarten teacher, many of her 4YO students have seen too much for their young innocent eyes, about 6 of her students have lost their homes, and 2 families are reported as missing - horrific for anyone to deal with, let alone a bunch of 4YO's questioning where their friends are.
Moving further around Melbourne Ross's sister remains on high alert, and 20 minute further out Paul's sister's town has also been under threat. Earlier in the week, they had to evacuate, but they have now been able to return, although the threat is not over. Ross's brother in law hasn't stop working since Sunday to protect Melbourne's water supply. He and some of his workers and bulldozing a fire break to protect the water pipeline.
Many friends of my parents haven't been so lucky. They know many people in one of the worst affected areas, Kinglake - one is in hospital after being involved in a head on car accident fleeing the fires - visibility was non existent. He was then hit from behind as well. He crawled out of the passenger door and collapsed on the road as the bushfire started to destroy his car, and the other cars in the crash. The lady who hit him from behind sort refuge in the ditch at the side of the road, then noticed him and pulled him to safety. Unfortunately, the driver of the other car didn't get out in time and perished. This same friend of my parents lost his home, every possession (including his eye glasses in the crash) and although suffering chest injuries, is just thankful that he is still alive. His wife got out in time, as did his son, daughter in law and grandchildren who also lost their home. We also know of others who have lost absolutely everything.
Another friend of my parents broke into our bulldozing brother in law's machinery workshop which is next door to his home, hot wired an excavator and bulldozed a fire break around the workshop and the 4 surrounding houses - these 5 buildings are among only a dozen or so still standing out of 1500 homes and businesses in the town. This selfless act not only saved lives, it also has meant that our brother in law's equipment can now be used in other areas to create further fire breaks.
By far their are many many worse stories out there than the one's we directly know of, especially the town of Marysville where they are expecting that over 100 of the town's 500 residents have perished. Heartbreaking in itself, it's just been announced that this fire was most likely deliberately lit.
Over the coming days please think of us Aussies. Our weather conditions have been better over the last 4 days, but many of the fires are still burning out of control. The weather is expected to get hot and windy early next week which will cause many more problems. As the Coroner is able to move into more towns and document their findings, our death toll will continue to rise
I have some photos of the fires taken by my sister and some of her friends, I'll post them shortly.
Cheers
Cindy
and thank-you to those of you who have contacted Ross, Paul and myself over this past week expressing concern.This last week would have to be one of the darkest in our 200 year history, and for the EFILive team it's so close to home.
In a 24 hour period, approx 300 lives were lost in our devastating bush fires. At this stage, the "official" death count is only 181 because of the ongoing fires, and the dangerous issues of re-accessing the fire ravaged areas. (Try sifting through a home that's only 3 inches high looking for entire families, which is what our volunteer fire fighters (some of which are our friends) are currently doing)
Whilst the EFILive team hasn't been directly affected - we are all safe and well, we've been uncomfortably close to the action. We have family in most of the affected areas, family working to create fire breaks, family isolated in towns all week surrounded by fire, and friends who have lost everything. Today walking to pick our children up from school ash was falling, and we've been blanketed in smoke for a couple of days now. Ross and I live about 30 minutes from the major fires in an area that is unlikely to be affected.
To give perspective on the weather conditions of last Saturday, we've been in drought for 8-10 years. The areas affected were very heavily bushed - most of it was National Park land with nice little towns tucked in between. 6-8 foot long embers were travelling up to 5kms ahead of the fire front. The fire was moving at over 100kms per hour in speed - giving many residents only 5 or 6 minutes warning (the main reason why so many perished) The swirling winds also meant that embers were flying in many directions causing many many spot fires and increasing the size of the fire front very rapidly.
My parents chose not to be home on Saturday due to the expected weather conditions - 2 miles up their road 3 people lost their lives, and within another 2 mile radius another 30-40 people perished in the next 2 towns.
30 minutes drive away from my parents, my sister's town was evacuated, and surrounded by fire. At this stage they are still looking for around 30 people who are still missing, presumed dead. As a kindergarten teacher, many of her 4YO students have seen too much for their young innocent eyes, about 6 of her students have lost their homes, and 2 families are reported as missing - horrific for anyone to deal with, let alone a bunch of 4YO's questioning where their friends are.
Moving further around Melbourne Ross's sister remains on high alert, and 20 minute further out Paul's sister's town has also been under threat. Earlier in the week, they had to evacuate, but they have now been able to return, although the threat is not over. Ross's brother in law hasn't stop working since Sunday to protect Melbourne's water supply. He and some of his workers and bulldozing a fire break to protect the water pipeline.
Many friends of my parents haven't been so lucky. They know many people in one of the worst affected areas, Kinglake - one is in hospital after being involved in a head on car accident fleeing the fires - visibility was non existent. He was then hit from behind as well. He crawled out of the passenger door and collapsed on the road as the bushfire started to destroy his car, and the other cars in the crash. The lady who hit him from behind sort refuge in the ditch at the side of the road, then noticed him and pulled him to safety. Unfortunately, the driver of the other car didn't get out in time and perished. This same friend of my parents lost his home, every possession (including his eye glasses in the crash) and although suffering chest injuries, is just thankful that he is still alive. His wife got out in time, as did his son, daughter in law and grandchildren who also lost their home. We also know of others who have lost absolutely everything.
Another friend of my parents broke into our bulldozing brother in law's machinery workshop which is next door to his home, hot wired an excavator and bulldozed a fire break around the workshop and the 4 surrounding houses - these 5 buildings are among only a dozen or so still standing out of 1500 homes and businesses in the town. This selfless act not only saved lives, it also has meant that our brother in law's equipment can now be used in other areas to create further fire breaks.
By far their are many many worse stories out there than the one's we directly know of, especially the town of Marysville where they are expecting that over 100 of the town's 500 residents have perished. Heartbreaking in itself, it's just been announced that this fire was most likely deliberately lit.
Over the coming days please think of us Aussies. Our weather conditions have been better over the last 4 days, but many of the fires are still burning out of control. The weather is expected to get hot and windy early next week which will cause many more problems. As the Coroner is able to move into more towns and document their findings, our death toll will continue to rise
I have some photos of the fires taken by my sister and some of her friends, I'll post them shortly.
Cheers
Cindy
