INFERNO !

[Nungali]

I have seen some bad fires in my time .... but this is insane ! 

 

Now I know what they mean by the term  'firestorm '   ;

 

 

Queensland sunshine coast bushfires  from 0 : 35

 

 

 

 

@ 0 : 14   , the one at 'Bees Nest'  is the one I have to watch.  The wind change, and continual southerly wind has driven  to to the north. Thankfully for me . Its burnt out 66,500 hectares   so far  ( near 165,000  acres ).

 

 

 

 

 

As of Tuesday evening there were 79 fires in Queensland and 52 in NSW.

 

No rain predicted  for the next two weeks .

 

 

 

Satellite image ;

 

North

 

  SOUTH

 

wind direction       ^

 

One might think When it hits the lake it will go out .  But not always .

 

My sisters house burn down in similar conditions, across a large body of water . They where monitoring it , the fire was way over there across the water, next thing there 'thud'  and  smoke  is coming trough the floor and the downstairs is on fire . Hardly enough time to escape, my nephew was trapped upstairs and had to jump out a window into the neighbours swimming pool .

 

Several houses in the street where destroyed along with a loss of life, that led to an inquiry.  A witness told the court ( and later an expert explained ) :

 

The radiant heat from the fire causes volatile oils out of the eucalyptus trees to evaporate, this is heavier than air  and  driven by the wind pooled over the water surface and filled up the basin of the lake ,  blown embers can ignite it and a flash burn can travel across the water . The witness saw a  comet like fireball, race across the lake, with a " jet exhaust  out the back  and a pressure wave in front of it   "  and it hit my sisters house  underneath where it is exposed , as it was built on piers on a steep hill. 

 

 

[Nungali]

This fire is still going   , burnt out over  104906 ha.  I got  detoured by it yesterday .

 

" An outbreak of bush fires in Australia just days after winter officially ended is stoking fears that the world’s driest-inhabited continent faces a disastrous summer ... More than 130 fires have destroyed homes and threatened lives in Queensland and New South Wales states in an alarmingly early start to the nation’s bush fire season ... 

Greens and independent lawmakers plan to band together in parliament Wednesday to demand the government “declare an environment and climate emergency and to take urgent action consistent with internationally accepted science.

 

"We are facing an existential climate crisis that threatens life as we know it,” the group said in a statement. “With record drought and Australia ablaze barely a week out of winter, it is time to tell the truth about how severe the climate emergency is.”

...

" Top government bureaucrats, including officials from the defence and energy departments, have war-gamed “national-scale systemic climate risks” facing the nation and warned that they are already “overwhelming”

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-09-11/wildfires-spark-call-for-climate-emergency-action-in-australia

 

Worldwide more people are getting concerned and protesting for action and more people are getting annoyed at their 'unfair protests ' .

 

 

What a fuckin mess  . And they say 'Kids should not be protesting'  ... 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/oct/09/queensland-to-fast-track-laws-to-crack-down-on-climate-protesters

Edited October 17, 2019 by Nungali

[Nungali]

Things have been steadily continuing and getting worse , the fire mentioned in OP on Sept 11  Is still going ( burtn out 114,000 ha. so far )  .

 

Yesterday the fire service sent out  warning texts saying a fire near you is out of control and you need to consider  emergency plans .  Then you are supposed to go to the fire site and see where it is .  The 'fire' near me was listed as   multiple sites on the mid coast  ???  Not even 'mid north coast' which is the official regional name ,  The fire site lists 77 active fires ;  6 red and  10 yellow alerts - 'out of control'

 

-

 

News ;

• As of 8.30pm, there are still 82 fires around the state of NSW
• 16 of these are rated as emergency level fires
• So far, there have been zero fatalities
• Residents in parts of Taree, Port Macquarie and other north coast areas have been evacuated
• The Pacific Highway is closed between Taree and Bulahdelah, and at Port Macquarie between the Oxley Highway and Hastings River Drive

Last night the news reported  Port Macquarie  seemed surrounded  by fire and an evacuation of the coast from Foster to Taree ,

 

There are so many fires that on the fire map you cant actually see any map in some areas ... just fire symbols on top of each other

 

 

 

Of course, there is no way we have that many fire crews or trucks and services , an announcement last night said that in certain areas they will not be able to help you, evacuate or take shelter .

 

 

[silent thunder]

horrific

surreal

 

just stunningly horrific.

[Nungali]

This morning is very calm and  still, no wind, not a trace of smoke, clear blue sky - weird !    .  Two days ago, wind,  and 36 deg C temp. Last night I had to put a sweatshirt on and sit with a blanket over me .... I even thought about lighting a fire in the fire place . Tomorrow night supposed to be 7 and the next day 37  .

 

"Then after a few hours of work - smoke plumes encroached, getting really thick and we realised our cul de sac was again in flames although this time from a southerly direction.

"We had to chop down trees and break through the back fence and our helpers stacked logs over the ditches to enable the cars to get out.

"We had a convoy going through and all piled into the more open school grounds. "

 

Port Macquarie ;

 

 

 

Queensland coast

 

 

 

NSW coast

 

 

 

[Nungali]

16 hours ago, silent thunder said:

horrific

surreal

 

just stunningly horrific.

 

I have spared you the pictures of the aftermath ;  it went through one of the last  large koala habitats left in that area . They where finding it hard enough to survive as a species before this . Now they and a whole lot of other rare and endangered  animals  surviving in that area are laying around  dead  and burnt everywhere .

[moment]

1 hour ago, Nungali said:

 

I have spared you the pictures of the aftermath ;  it went through one of the last  large koala habitats left in that area . They where finding it hard enough to survive as a species before this . Now they and a whole lot of other rare and endangered  animals  surviving in that area are laying around  dead  and burnt everywhere .

 

My heart is truly with you and yours.  I will think about you often until this is over.

[Nungali]

.....  and Yueya . The fires are closer to him than me .

 

Actually, I will PM him.

 

 

Tuesday looks bad ;

 

Dangerous fire conditions forecast for Tuesday 12 November

Dangerous fire conditions are forecast for Tuesday. Widespread areas of NSW will experience Severe or Extreme fire danger. Under these conditions, lives and homes will be at risk. Start taking action now

Edited November 10, 2019 by Nungali

[Earl Grey]

Makes you wonder why none of this is being referenced when there are media features on Extinction Rebellion protesters and PM Morrison talking about how they’re going out of line.

 

With conditions like this and people still thinking that it’s not a priority, it really seems necessary to get people to drop everything and pay attention. Unfortunately, the false dichotomy that is created now makes climate change and action become associated with being “un-Australian” since a lot of coal money is still also tied to old ideas of Australian identity and leads to a dubious understanding that thinks all those fires and climate issues are made up or exaggerated in a conspiracy to eliminate coal.

 

Stay safe, old friend.

[Nungali]

I am finding it hard to get news on it myself .  

 

This is SOOOOO fucked :  I went to watch some reports on the fires and  had  to 'sign in through 'facebook' - not being a member , I am not allowed to see it ! 

 

 

So much is happening , they are not covering all the stories . On the news last night, many of the places burnt out, I had recently travelled through on a road trip .    Rather a shock to see those places on tv, the small villages and their local schools burnt out.

 

Then a few seconds on the area where Yueya lives .  Not just  random fires on the outskirts , the fire swept through the village and burnt it out .   I havent heard back from Yueya yet .   He was going to stay and fight it . he does have a small  substantial brick fire shelter .

 

Dont know if this will  play here

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-09/nymboida-locals-react-to-devastating-bushfire/11689652

 

 

.... I just found this photo and some scant info  - the fire has crossed the road Yueya lives on !

 

 

 

Like I said , Info is scant, this was days ago ;  " 

 

"If you are in the Nymboida area, including the Armidale Road , Glen Creek Road and  ....... (Yueya's ) .....  Road, seek shelter if the fire impacts on your property.

"If you are in the area of Coutts Crossing and you are not prepared, leave now towards Grafton."

One resident reported on social media that an SES member at Coutts Crossing had said "Nymboida Canoe Centre gone, Nymboida been smashed, houses gone".

 

 

Edited November 11, 2019 by Nungali

[ilumairen]

Thanks for keeping us as informed as you can.  

 

You and our dear Yueya are in my thoughts... please stay safe. 

[Nungali]

 

 

Right through the crew cabin !  

Edited November 11, 2019 by Nungali

[Geof Nanto]

On 11/11/2019 at 7:45 AM, Nungali said:

Then a few seconds on the area where Yueya lives .  Not just  random fires on the outskirts , the fire swept through the village and burnt it out .   I havent heard back from Yueya yet .   He was going to stay and fight it . he does have a small  substantial brick fire shelter .

 

I'm OK. The fire front hit early evening Friday. It was a fast moving inferno propelled by a strong, gusty westerly wind. I was up all night defending my house and studio and managed to save both. But many houses have been lost in Nymboida including my neighbour’s and a number of my friends.  We're a rural community with people living on a minimum 25 acres of mostly forested land. About half of the 12 or so houses on the road where I live are gone and more than half in the community at large, at least on this side of Armidale Rd. Many large trees have fallen, some still smouldering. The surrounding forest is devastated, all blackened trunks and bare earth. No understory or ground cover remains. I weep for the wildlife that’s perished. The forest that used to be alive all day with birdsong is now quiet. It’s even sad to see the few remaining birds flying around in a futile search for food. So many native animals have perished, with those few survivors likely to starve. I have a couple of pademelon’s (small wallabies) sheltering under my house. They’ve taken refuge here because there’s still some unburnt grass around my house and I have a small pond for them to drink from. A possum is here too and I’m putting out food for it. 

 

I’m slowly recovering from feeling totally exhausted. I feel calm enough as long as I stay in the moment, centred in my breath-body.  I've been very much focused on my own situation here and getting some overview of the fires's impact and what it means for myself and the environment. I've been wandering around the surrounding forest, connecting with the damage, and doing a few small, simple things like tidying up some of the mess around my house. Today is the first day I've felt up writing something about it. I've needed to be in my own space. So much emotion to process. 

 

It was almost inevitable that such a catastrophic fire would come through here, given how dry the forest is and with fires burning in the region’s forests for the past month.  All it took was a very hot day with high winds and low humidity for the fires to break containment lines on multiple fronts. I was well prepared and knew the fire was unstoppable. A recommendation to evacuate came through Friday morning. My plan was always to stay and defend my home but even so I had second thoughts when the fire front crested the hill to the south west of here. It was a fast moving monster. I wasn’t sure I could save my house but I knew I could always take refuge in my fire shelter if I needed to. As it was, the two fire-fighter pumps and several fire hoses I had set up got me   through. I was own my own. The Rural Fire Service could do nothing to help. 

 

It’s a small community here with much support but, even so, people are in semi-shock. Although fires are common in this area, there’s never been anything like this one before.  Even for people like me who haven't lost their house, it's been a traumatic experience. Yet also one that's very connected with the reality of natural forces, with the reality of life.  This too is of the Dao, perhaps more so that much of contemporary life. But it's certainly not something I'd ever want to go through again.
 

[Nungali]

Yueya is okay ! 

 

He will post at some stage soon .

 

Of course, with all the hype, the craziness has set in . I  saw a few people packed up and leaving my valley this morning.

 

here are some examples of the craziness;

 

NSW state premier on national ABC news says even Sydney CBD could be under threat . then cut to the chief fire adviser that advised people to 'Move to a bigger city .'   What the hell does that mean ?   The local city here , Coffs harbour has been told to evacuate.  No it hasnt .  It has been advised to prepare for it. people have been told to go to a shopping centre . Well, they are in Coffs Harbour.

 

Maybe we are all just supposed to fly out to Tokyo ? 

 

Situation here is the fire 'seems' to be about 20 km away.  The new maps on the fire site are now added that show the direction the fires are moving in, about time !  I looked; there are all sorts of coloured areas and different boundaries  but no key or explanation as to what it all means and no indications of expected directions .  The map of my area shows a road in the forest south of here, which is unseald and minor but the road I live on that is sealed and has hundreds of people living on it isnt even shown.  And now those maps dont come up anymore anyway .    So, as they say, you are basically on your own.

 

I am not worried at all for today, but tomorrow a wind shift is predicted ranging from SE to then SW . Thats the direction the fire is from here .   I will check conditions in the morning and depending on that may pack a few things, put the vehicles and some tools out in the middle of the paddock,  pack a few things in the car and go to Coffs Harbour anyway as I have a Chiro appointment .

 

I wouldnt be able to fight the fire anyway, I got a 3/4 " line and bad water pressure. And the cabin is surrounded by trees, some even within touching distance out the window and one huge one actually touching the roof overhang and one that goes through the roof overhang !     (That totally freaked out the fire approval building inspector ) . 

 

I have actually already lost a place  and all my stuff to a fire before ,a beautiful place ! But a rental . about 30 years ago , everything except a shoulder bag with a few things and my motorcycle .  Ho hum .... just started again .

[Nungali]

simultaneous posting   

[Nungali]

3 minutes ago, Yueya said:

 

I'm OK. The fire front hit early evening Friday. It was a fast moving inferno propelled by a strong, gusty westerly wind. I was up all night defending my house and studio and managed to save both. But many houses have been lost in Nymboida including my neighbour’s and a number of my friends.  We're a rural community with people living on a minimum 25 acres of mostly forested land. About half of the 12 or so houses on the road where I live are gone and more than half in the community at large, at least on this side of Armidale Rd. Many large trees have fallen, some still smouldering. The surrounding forest is devastated, all blackened trunks and bare earth. No understory or ground cover remains. I weep for the wildlife that’s perished. The forest that used to be alive all day with birdsong is now quiet. It’s even sad to see the few remaining birds flying around in a futile search for food. So many native animals have perished, with those few survivors likely to starve. I have a couple of pademelon’s (small wallabies) sheltering under my house. They’ve taken refuge here because there’s still some unburnt grass around my house and I have a small pond for them to drink from. A possum is here too and I’m putting out food for it. 

 

I’m slowly recovering from feeling totally exhausted. I feel calm enough as long as I stay in the moment, centred in my breath-body.  I've been very much focused on my own situation here and getting some overview of the fires's impact and what it means for myself and the environment. I've been wandering around the surrounding forest, connecting with the damage, and doing a few small, simple things like tidying up some of the mess around my house. Today is the first day I've felt up writing something about it. I've needed to be in my own space. So much emotion to process. 

 

It was almost inevitable that such a catastrophic fire would come through here, given how dry the forest is and with fires burning in the region’s forests for the past month.  All it took was a very hot day with high winds and low humidity for the fires to break containment lines on multiple fronts. I was well prepared and knew the fire was unstoppable. A recommendation to evacuate came through Friday morning. My plan was always to stay and defend my home but even so I had second thoughts when the fire front crested the hill to the south west of here. It was a fast moving monster. I wasn’t sure I could save my house but I knew I could always take refuge in my fire shelter if I needed to. As it was, the two fire-fighter pumps and several fire hoses I had set up got me   through. I was own my own. The Rural Fire Service could do nothing to help. 

 

It’s a small community here with much support but, even so, people are in semi-shock. Although fires are common in this area, there’s never been anything like this one before.  Even for people like me who haven't lost their house, it's been a traumatic experience. Yet also one that's very connected with the reality of natural forces, with the reality of life.  This too is of the Dao, perhaps more so that much of contemporary life. But it's certainly not something I'd ever want to go through again.
 

 

 

 

 So glad you okay, so sad about your place .  Its a relief to hear from you .  Once, I was fighting a nasty fire, a few of us on one side and some others on the other side, working in a pincher movement going up a spur. A wind flare up and direction changed the fire erupted and surged  towards the others. All we could see was a wall of fire and smoke.  We carried on with our task and eventually won, the fire died down and then we saw the others on the other side  doing the same . Man, was it a relief to see those guys.

 

Like its  a relief to hear from you .

 

After a while nature will start to regenerate.  And people like you will be there, doing their regeneration work , now, assistance, in a totally different way . A lot of the problem stuff  ( weeds, feral  and exotic intrusions , etc . )  will have been removed as well as the natural stuff. The battle against that will have shifted to an assistance and encouragement  to natural regeneration .  Cycads are a good example, they tend to come up first and other more ancient natives ( they have been around long enough to have strategies  to deal with  huge unusual fires and can deal with them)

 

I am  reminded of two things ; one from hermetics and another from bio-dynamic  gardening ;  all of nature is renewed by fire    and     effecting change takes a long time, one needs patience .

 

Glad to hear about the few animals that found refuge with you .   

 

And , of course, this is emotionally shattering, and takes time too to regenirate, so , once again, thanks for taking the time  to 'report in' .

 

 

 

 

7 weeks after

 

 

 

10 months later   (and this was a hugely devastating fire that burnt out everything , even the observatory there . )

[silent thunder]

*deep bow of respect*

Love and Respect

To your whole freaking continent

and to you two in particular...

 

you have both shared so much

so authentically

 

I have benefited in untold ways by your presences here.

 

*deep bow of respect*

[Nungali]

Waited and  .....

 

nothing !  The wind didnt come  last night . And only a slight breeze now , but here , down in the valley its hard to tell the general wind condition.

 

Report was the fire situation has eased across the fire ground and the wind did change direction . But that might be becasue the wind has blown the fire away from a large residential area ... and towards me . I dont know where, it just says 'moving in a NW direction' it doesnt say how far it moved .

 

Could be like this for days on end  .

 

Yesterday, state fire services attended 300 fires .

Edited November 12, 2019 by Nungali

[Nungali]

Some idiot did a private and totally illegal  'back burn'  to try and protect his marijuana crop at Ebor , near the site of the start of the  massive fire there that has burnt out over 150,000 acres.  Now its gone the other way, where the first fire did not ; heading towards the township of Ebor, burning out the facilities and picnic grounds at Ebor falls and making its way to Waterfall Way, which is or about to be closed, the only route in the area from the highlands/inland to the coast, and near  the head of the valley I live in.  Unfavourable winds (in relation to this new fire) and temps predicted soon .

 

They caught the guy. He goes to court tomorrow . New laws have been made to discourage this  as spates of arson have been occurring, some,  serial arsonists ,  20 years gaol max.

 

 

[Nungali]

UPDATE

Gavin James Gardiner, the 51-year-old Ebor resident accused of deliberately torching bushland last week to protect a hidden cannabis crop, will remain behind bars until at least next month, after fronting court again.

 

Gavin James Gardiner appeared via video link in Armidale Local Court on Monday morning, but made no application for bail. It was formally refused by magistrate Michael Holmes.

Gardiner did not enter pleas to charges of 'intentionally causing fire and being reckless as to its spread' nor for 'dishonestly for gain damaging property by fire'.

 

Mr Holmes adjourned the case to early December, where it will be referred to the DPP to prosecute, ordering Gardiner be remanded in custody until then.

Australian Community Media has been told firefighters worked to save Gardiner's house from the fire, which had engulfed more than 10,000 hectares by Sunday afternoon and continued to spread.

 

Kitty saved from   Ebor  fire ;

 

[Walker]

Yeah, thank you Nungali and Yueya both for taking the time to write from the heart here. Stay safe! 

[Nungali]

Its not looking good. Slowly the fire creeps closer everyday .  Now the one the idiot arsonist lit crossed the main road, has joined in with another huge one and has got into the head of the valley I live in.  Its still a  few km away and even if it didnt get here, this is one of the few  ancient rainforest areas left that has not been burned . Now, this  relatively unburnt area is surrounded by a horseshoe of fires.... slowly closing in.

 

I went to a huge meeting yesterday with the  fire services and locals at the local hall.  We were told that, inevitably, it is going to get here, its a narrow valley with only one  road  in and out.  The only thing that is going to stop it is heavy rain and that is not predicted until February .  They keep making containment lines but they dont work.   Last night the smoke was so bad it was inside the cabin, I could see it under the lights . It could take 3 weeks for the fire to et here or a few days, depending on conditions.  They havent been able to do much preparation  as they have been busy elsewhere, like to the SE around Kempsey where  over 40 homes have been lost.

 

They have asked for extra help next week, more crews, choppers and the  air tanker , but 'authorities' seem reluctant . They need them elsewhere.  

 

There was also some controversial issues . Like when someone questioned the condition of fire trails . hearing between the lines - they have been neglected and problematic, probably due to lack of govenrment funding and resources. They said they tried to get a big dozer up one of the forest roads to get into the area to redo the fire trails but they sent it up on a huge flatbed truck which could not get up the road .     .... I would have though to  go up with the dozer itself , clearing along  the way. Anyway, too late now, that stuff should be done every year.

 

And the government here is still refusing to acknowledge climate change or implement related policies to do with fire and funding .

 

A few years back I bitched about it on here .  A few local lads , good kids, being unemployed decided to join the local volunteer fire service. They did well, doing the training , even going interstate to fight dangerous fires when extra support needed, learnt how to operate the equipment , one even rose to 2nd in charge.  Then the government informed them that to continue getting their payments they needed to do volunteer community work, They replied they where already doing that but where then told that   volunteering and working in the volunteer rural fire fighting service didnt count  !     They had to go and do volunteer  work  ( like   refolding old clothes in a church thrift shop or something .

 

So they left th fire service and the area .

 

Brilliant guys ! Just brilliant.  sometimes it feels like I am surrounded by idiots .

 

Anyway, gonna pack up , move some stuff into town and leave vehicles at friend place , convert the car so its got a bed in it, somehow and get ready to evacuate ... and stay like that, in limbo, for  .... ?

 

Supposed to leave as soon as the map shows a  yellow colour . They said once it turns red it is too late to leave , take shelter .

 

Where ?

 

Inside your house and close the windows .

 

Whaaaaaat   ?   - I'm going early if it happens  ......  when it happens .

[Geof Nanto]

That sounds a bit grim, Nungali. I hope your place is OK.  I've been keeping an eye on the RFS "Fires Near Me" website and it isn't showing any fires near you. 

 

Here's a MSM article about the impact of the recent devastating fire here in Nymboida: 

 

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/in-devastated-nymboida-dark-humour-keeps-residents-going-20191118-p53bft.html

 

The Nymboida community is spread over an area of about 200 sq kilometres with a population of less than 300 people. More than half the houses our now piles of rubble. 

 

Edited November 22, 2019 by Yueya

[liminal_luke]

Thinking of you, Nungali and Yueya.  Thanks for taking the time to report in.  Take care and stay safe. LL

[Nungali]

4 hours ago, Yueya said:

That sounds a bit grim, Nungali. I hope your place is OK.  I've been keeping an eye on the RFS "Fires Near Me" website and it isn't showing any fires near you. 

 

Hey Yueya.

 

According to RFS meeting last night (and the map)  the Ebor fire has joined the Carrai east fire  and is currently 30km west of me and at the head of the Bellinger River . RFS says the rate of 'creep' eastwards  is about 2- 3 km a day. It will probably, if southerly winds  dont arise  (unlikely in hot conditions ) get into the settled part of the valley within 2 weeks . Not counting wind blown ember attacks, spot fires etc .

 

Of course something may happen to stop that, but RFS doesnt seem very positive .

 

4 hours ago, Yueya said:

 

Here's a MSM article about the impact of the recent devastating fire here in Nymboida: 

 

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/in-devastated-nymboida-dark-humour-keeps-residents-going-20191118-p53bft.html

 

Thanks, I'll read that later .   There was shit at the fire meeting about back burning and some where complaining that RFS back burning  made the Bees nest fire worse and contributed to damage , A very spun out fire officer attempted to answer.

 

4 hours ago, Yueya said:

 

The Nymboida community is spread over an area of about 200 sq kilometres with a population of less than 300 people. More than half the houses our now piles of rubble. 

 

 

 

  

 

I'm wondering what happens next for those people ? 

 

 

On a lighter note , after training this morning I went  to a market in town, talking to a  friend and I spotted a new friend I hadnt seen for a while ;  she is a German/ Turkish young woman, attractive and great personality, I met her by letting her  camp at my place last Xmas, she was in dire straights and no one else seemed to want to help her .  Anyway we chattered  and she offered downstairs of her new house for me to stay in and then  .....  while my friend  ( an old guy, like me , is there watching) she goes : " Come and stay "  and  looks at me and goes " Awwww .... you just need some pleasure ."  and gives me a big hug .  I am looking over her shoulder at my friend and he ....

 

 

and I am  looking back   at him  .

 

     ? 

 

.....

 

 

 

I am having strange thoughts though;  When I leave,   what about my roof possums !    ,  Should I put on my welding gloves and try and catch them and stuff them into a box and take them with me ?   ... and other  such thoughts .

 

 

I am actually full of admiration for Yueya ;

 

He fought the giant evil  fire dragon monster   .....

 

and won !    (ie, it didnt kill him )