New South Wales on fire

[opinionated ow]

Things are looking pretty bad in New South Wales at the moment. As I write this this is the current list of fires ringing Sydney, Newcastle & Wollongong. There are three classification levels they use: Emergency, Watch & Act and Advice. The biggest concern is the State Mine Fire, the Linksview Rd fire and the Mt York Road fire as the experts are concerned that with forecast strong winds and hot days they could merge into one mega fire. There are widespread evacuations, total fire bans, schools closed and thousands of volunteer firefighters on the ground and in the air including our newly elected Prime Minister (who it must be said, tried desperately to keep his involvement secret-he's a long term member of the Rural Fire Service). Amazingly there's only been one fatality after more than a week of out of control bushfires. Houses have been lost in the hundreds, livelihoods destroyed and infrastructure written off Please pray for the safety of the community, especially for our firefighters (volunteers, professionals, national parks staff, military and other trained government folks), for those whose lives have been affected and for a change in the weather so we can get the situation under control.

Updates: http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/dsp_content.cfm?cat_id=684


State Mine Fire Emergency Warning Between Lithgow And Bilpin to the north of Bells Line of Road Lithgow Being Controlled Bush/Scrub fire 21/10 : 02:30PM
Hall Road, Balmoral Emergency Warning 3 km sth of Bargo Wingecarribee Out of Control Bush fire 21/10 : 02:53PM
Linksview Rd, Springwood Watch and Act North of Great Western Highway, east of Hawkesbury Rd; south to Winmalee Ridge, west of the Nepean River, east of Chapman Rd Springwood. 1.5km North of Tom Hunter Park and Springwood Golf Club BlueMountains Out of Control Bush fire 21/10 : 11:00AM
Mt York Rd, Mt Victoria Watch and Act Located at Mt York Rd, Mt Victoria, Darling Causeway, Mt Vic Falls FT 3km north of Mt Boyce 4km north of Blackheath 2km east of Little Hartley 3km south of Hartley Vale BlueMountains Being Controlled Bush/Scrub fire 21/10 : 09:30AM
Hawkesbury Rd Advice Various locations in the Hawkesbury Heights and Yellow Rock area. BlueMountains Under Control Bush/Scrub/Grass fire 21/10 : 12:00PM
Benerembah Advice Murrumbidgee Valley National Park Carrathool Carrathool Under Control Bush fire 21/10 : 10:30AM
Finchley Advice 640 Finchley Track Laguna Cessnock Under Control Bush fire 21/10 : 01:00PM
Turners Road Advice Turners Road, Watagan National Park Cessnock Under Control Bush fire 21/10 : 09:30AM
Sheas Nob Fire Advice Sheas Nob Road, Sheas Nob SF and Chaelundi NP ClarenceValley Being Controlled Bush fire 21/10 : 10:52AM
Black Hole Advice Dalmorton State Forest ClarenceValley Under Control Bush fire 21/10 : 10:49AM
Morrows Road Advice Fire is immediately east of Glenreagh Village . Fire stretches down toward Nana Glen. ClarenceValley Under Control Bush fire 21/10 : 10:47AM
Kaars Road Fire Advice Dalmorton State Forest ClarenceValley Under Control Bush fire 21/10 : 10:44AM
Woodford Island Advice Ridgetop on Woodford Island in Clarence River ClarenceValley Under Control Bush fire 21/10 : 10:41AM
Nubba Lane grass fire Advice Nubba Ln x Olympic Way Wallendbeen Cootamundra Under Control Grass fire 21/10 : 09:49AM
Boonabilla Advice Boonabella Rd Lostock Dungog Under Control Bush/Grass fire 21/10 : 09:30AM
Buckyjumba Advice Approx. 10km north of Belowra in Deua NP Eurobodalla Out of Control Bush fire 21/10 : 11:30AM
Connollys Rd Advice Connollys Rd Waukivory Gloucester Under Control Scrub fire 21/10 : 08:48AM
Bowman River Rd Advice Bowman River Rd Gloucester Under Control Scrub/Grass fire 21/10 : 08:46AM
Gunyah Road, Bobin 2 Advice Gunyah Road, bobin GreaterTaree Under Control Bush fire 21/10 : 02:00PM
Crowdy Gap fire Advice Fire is contained north of Harrington Village, north west of Crowdy Head Road, west of Crowdy Bay Road, east of Diamond Head Road, Kylies Beach Road, Hintons Trail and Sand Track and north of the Harrington STP. GreaterTaree Under Control Scrub fire 20/10 : 04:00PM
Cabbage Tree Road Advice 5 km NW Bulahdelah GreatLakes Under Control Bush fire 21/10 : 09:45AM
O'Sullivans Gap Advice Koolonock Range Buladelhah GreatLakes Under Control Bush fire 21/10 : 08:31AM
Jerrewawa Creek Advice Approx 2 km South West 283 Mountain Rd Upper Karuah River GreatLakes Being Controlled Bush fire 20/10 : 09:30AM
Green Scrub HR Smoke Sighting Advice 12 km NE of Bilpin 3km E of Mountain Lagoon Hawkesbury Under Control Bush fire 21/10 : 10:34AM
Webbs Creek Advice 192 webbs creek road Hawkesbury Under Control Bush fire 21/10 : 10:28AM
Gorricks Creek Advice Gorricks Creek Hawkesbury Under Control Bush fire 21/10 : 10:18AM
Dungay Creek Fire Advice Dungay CK Rd & upper catchment of Dungay Ck. Kempsey Being Controlled Bush fire 21/10 : 10:35AM
Hickeys Creek Rd Advice 838 Hicks Creek Road Millbank Kempsey Under Control Scrub fire 21/10 : 09:00AM
Mungay Creek Rd Fire Advice 173 Mungay Creek Rd Mungay Creek Kempsey Under Control Bush/Grass fire 21/10 : 09:00AM
Bulgana Advice 5klm east of Condobolin Lachlan Under Control Grass fire 21/10 : 01:55PM
Ski Beach Advice Euroley Rd Leeton Leeton Under Control Grass fire 21/10 : 10:30AM
Mulgum Creek Fire Advice 10 km northeast of Nimbin. Fire is located 1 km NNW of Mt Nardi Communications Towers in Nightcap National Park. Lismore Under Control Bush fire 21/10 : 01:00PM
Hungerford Creek Advice Wollemi National Park Muswellbrook Being Controlled Bush fire 21/10 : 10:15AM
Blackjack Mountain Advice west of Muswellbrook, near Wybong Rd Muswellbrook Being Controlled Bush/Grass fire 21/10 : 10:15AM
Hades Creek Advice National Park East of Horseshoe Rd. and south of Mt. Killekrankie in the Upper Nambucca River catchment Nambucca Under Control Bush fire 21/10 : 10:00AM
Cedar Trail Fire Advice Gumbaynggirr NP and Oakes SF north of Horseshoe Rd both sides of Cedar Trail Nambucca Under Control Bush fire 21/10 : 09:50AM
Banshea Road Fire Advice 609 Banshea Road, Jaunter Oberon Under Control Bush fire 20/10 : 05:23PM
Castlereagh Advice Old Castlereagh Road Castlereagh Penrith Under Control Grass fire 21/10 : 12:30PM
Ralfs Creek, Mt Seaview Advice Ralfs creek, mount seaview PortMacquarie-Hastings Out of Control Grass fire 21/10 : 09:00AM
Flannerys Advice Flannerys Trail PortStephens Under Control Scrub fire 21/10 : 12:55PM
Hank Street Advice Hank Street Heatherbrae PortStephens Under Control Scrub fire 21/10 : 09:30AM
Browns Road, Salt Ash Advice Browns Road and Lemon Tree Passage Road, Salt Ash PortStephens Under Control Scrub fire 21/10 : 08:10AM
Mooreland Fire Advice Mooreland Road, Fingal Bay PortStephens Under Control Scrub fire 21/10 : 08:10AM
Red Gum Fire Advice Bungawalbin State Conservation Area RichmondValley Under Control Bush fire 21/10 : 12:55PM
Magowen Parade Fire Advice Magowen Pde Old Erowal Bay Shoalhaven Under Control Bush/Scrub fire 21/10 : 01:40PM
Wirritin Advice Wirritin Ridge, 36km west of Ulladulla Shoalhaven Out of Control Bush fire 21/10 : 09:30AM
Cold Chisel Advice Murramarang National Park Shoalhaven Under Control Bush fire 20/10 : 07:00PM
Hancocks Fire Advice Maddens Road, Wandandian Shoalhaven Under Control Bush fire 20/10 : 07:00PM
Bullock Ridge Advice Gorangoola Creek Rd, Goorangoola Singleton Under Control Bush/Scrub/Grass fire 21/10 : 02:38PM
Babuc Advice near Razorback mountain on the western edge of Lake St Clair Singleton Under Control Bush/Scrub/Grass fire 21/10 : 11:30AM
Shed Arm Advice Putty Rd howes valley 10 km North of Putty Singleton Under Control Bush fire 21/10 : 11:00AM
Mudies Creek Advice Sector 5 Main North-south Range Rd Singleton Army Range Singleton Under Control Scrub/Grass fire 21/10 : 11:00AM
Mt Tangory Advice 15 km East of Singleton Singleton Being Controlled Bush fire 21/10 : 11:00AM
Caramar Advice 799 Ironmungie Road, Dalgety SnowyRiver Under Control Bush/Grass fire 21/10 : 11:00AM
Tanglewood Road 2 Advice Tanglewood Rd Kootingal Tamworth Under Control Scrub fire 20/10 : 09:10PM
Vinegar Hill Rd 2 Advice Vinegar Hill Rd, Legume Tenterfield Under Control Bush fire 21/10 : 11:23AM
Afton Waters Advice Westbrook Road WaggaWagga Under Control Scrub fire 21/10 : 02:20PM
Ridge Rd Fire Advice Ridge Rd, Oakdale GR 699 326 Wollondilly Under Control Bush fire 21/10 : 01:57PM
Bulgo Track Advice 2 kilometres east of Otford Wollongong Under Control Scrub fire 20/10 : 05:45PM
San Remo Bush Alight Advice Bravo Avenue San Remo Wyong Under Control Scrub fire 21/10 : 02:35PM
Ruttleys Road Fire Advice South East of the Pacific Hwy, North East of Lake Munmorah. Wyong Under Control Scrub fire 21/10 : 09:34AM
MULCH FIRE - MARTINS RD BADGERYS CREEK Not Applicable MARTINS RD BADGERYS CREEK Liverpool Under Control Other 19/10 : 09:14AM
Wongabindi Lane Not Applicable Wongabindi Lane x Croppa Creek - Moree Road Moree MoreePlains Under Control Farm machinery 21/10 : 10:20AM
TWE Mebbin Dry Ridges Not Applicable Mebbin NP. West of western end Cutters Camp Road and south of dormant Tank Trail. All within prescribed burn containment lines in middle of Mebbin NP. Closest village Tyalgum 15-20km north east. Tweed Under Control Hazard Reduction 21/10 : 12:30PM
Peat Fire Avoca SCA Not Applicable 302 Wildes Meadow Rd Wildes Meadow Wingecarribee Under Control Pile Burn 19/10 : 08:00PM
Dariy Rd Not Applicable Dariy Rd Wollondilly smoke sighting Wollondilly Out of Control Grass fire 21/10 : 01:30PM

[Elmo T]

http://i43.tinypic.com/2r3vb7c.jpg

FIRIES: Don't call us heroes (http://www.theherald.com.au/story/1853162/firies-dont-call-us-heroes/?cs=303&www.newcastleherald.com.au/?utm_source=NewcastleHerald&utm_medium=Carousel&utm_campaign=OUA+Carousel)



THEY worked through the night in horrific conditions to help save Catherine Hill Bay from flames but these firefighters don’t consider themselves heroes.

Hundreds of thousands of people across the world beg to differ, after an image captured by Newcastle Herald photographer Phil Hearne was posted online and went ‘‘viral’’ at the weekend.
Post by Newcastle Herald.

The photo, which shows exhausted Wallarah Rural Fire Service brigade members sleeping on the road at Nords Wharf as flames lap close by, has been seen by 3.7million people on Facebook.

Matthew Jones-Power, 24, was one of the crew taking a nap on Friday morning. It was his first break since 2.30pm on Thursday.

[opinionated ow]

They're forecasting the worst possible conditions for tomorrow: 35+°C and winds up to 100km/h. Amazingly still only one life has been lost. Crews from all other states have come up to lend a hand and 800 odd metropolitan firefighters from inner suburban Sydney have been mobilised to assist tomorrow. Please keep us in your prayers, we need everything we can.

If the biggest of the fires was burning inside Sydney itself rather than the outskirts,it would cover this much area:
561

www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/twelve-simple-points-to-help-explain-the-nsw-bushfire-crisis/story-fni0xqrc-1226744215640#mm-breached

[TravelGal]

There are no words to explain the terror and sheer force of uncontrolled fire. My heart is with you guys. Truly.

[dando]

Thoughts & prayers for our Ozzie friends. :(