A frightening day in the Blue Mountains

[Paws]

I am staying here in the Blue Mountains doing some renovations for my partner. Yesterday the wind got up to about 100km an hour and was constantly changing direction. The temperature got up to about 38 degrees. At about 1pm I was told that the fires burning up here were headed directly for us, and could be here in about an hour if the wind direction remained the same. I've never been anywhere near a bushfire before and was scared! Thought about how a fire could come through here, destroy the house, all possessions and even cause lose of life. Today is cooler and there is barely any wind but the danger will remain for days to come.

A very sobering experience!

[TassieKiwi]

We bushies should all know how to defend our homes and property - you're safer staying there, if there's insuffucient time to drive out.

[Felder]

I was in Coffs Harbour / Bellingen / Urunga yesterday when I got a call from my Captain at 1330hrs. He told me about the spot fires, and indicated that it could well make a run for my area of the Mountains.

Took me six hours to get home. By then the southerly had kicked in, temperatures had dropped significantly and the smoke was all blowing the other way.

Never mind. At least I'm home again.

[craigb]

I was wondering how you were getting on with the fires.

Glad to hear all is safe and sound so far.

[bennylaird]

Hope the weather holds good there and they get things under control.

Don't take any risks mate, keep safe.

[Felder]

No properties under direct threat so far. Overnight weather helped heaps, especially when the humidity got up to 80%.

Was very frustrating when I was up north, hearing all the reports.

It was even more frustrating with SWMBO ringing and asking what's going on (she knows not to listen to the media ), which in turn meant I'm ringing the Fire Station and then getting back to her and re-assuring her that all is fine. Then the MIL hears something reported by the media (she hasn't worked it out yet) and gets herself in a mad flap because I'm not home, and her daughter is by herself looking after a baby, two dogs and a cat. In the end I just asked the guys at the Station to give me a bell if there is anything I should worry about.....
......I got a bit concerned when they actually called.

[Paws]

My partner is a police officer and we were getting phone calls from other police and members of the RFS keeping us up to date, which helped but in some ways added to the stress. Then there was the noise of helicopters flying around, fire trucks travelling along the highway with sirens going, smoke, the smell of fire, the heat and terrible wind - all a bit surreal really.

Is strange today trying to get back to renovations when I had thought yesterday that house and all my tools may be lost.

[Terry B]

Welcome back Brendan. I hope it keeps out of you neck of the woods.