Black Saturday - 5 years on

[kylarama]

Today being the 5th anniversary of one of the biggest firestorms we've ever seen.  I though I'd post this link to my mother in laws blog.   

My partners folks lived on a beautiful 20 acre property at the foot of the Kinglake ranges in North St Andrews.  Completely self sufficient with a huge veggie garden, orchard, small vineyard that was just maturing and a huge chook house.
Their home was a classic post and beam mudbrick with a little replica miners cottage next to it that was my partners bedroom growing up.  They built the home in the late 70's (being hippies they sold their kombi van to fund it!) with bricks they made themselves and old jarrah and red gum bridge timber and sleepers for posts and beams.  Not to mention the old red bricks used as flooring throughout the home.

All of it got completely incinerated on that Saturday.  I remember that day clearly, along with the days that followed, not to mention the next few months as they struggled with the loss of friends, neighbors and their home.  All while living in a caravan in our driveway and house sitting friends homes.   Come October the govenments new building regulations deemed their property to be a 'flame zone' and replicating what they used to have was not possible, along with now being in their 60's the thought of building a house seemed too daunting.
As fate would have it a close friend was selling up their 20 acre home in St Andrews, a mudbrick home they helped build many years ago and closer to town with less of a fire risk.  A deal was struck and a month later they were settled.


Being a retired English, Italian and French teacher.  She has a great way with words.  Given her passion for food, this story is about her kitchen.

http://almostitalian.wordpress.com/2014/02/04/in-my-kitchen-february-7-2014-an-anniversary-story/

[scarps]

Thnx for the post kylarama. Timely reminder.

I was building an extension on my house in Wallan on that day. Mid morning I saw smoke rising up near Clonbinane and made comment to my wife, 'I hope they get that out pretty quickly'. The event is now written in history and etched on my mind as for the rest of the day I watched an horrific event pass from north to south east of our community. Our sons who were attending Whittlesea College at the time lost several friends and their families.

My thoughts are still with many affected friends and their families.

[jetcrew]

Thanks for sharing 

Truly one of our greatest disasters and the strength if those left behind in the wake of such tragedy amazes me.

Some burn some flood but all must go on ...and your MIL has shown true Aussie spirt, this country is strong and unique in culture and compassion and it's people like you're MIL that make it so , so she is not only the recipient of that "Australia " she is part if it .

Day to day people like this are my Aussie heroes ...not overpaid spoilt sportsman ....

Jet

[D4D]

It is hard to imagine what it must have been like for all people directly involved on that day and for the people who are still rebuilding and trying to get on with daily life.

Like scarps, on that day I vividly remember seeing the huge smoke plume rise in the early afternoon in the north and then with the SW wind change in the early evening push the fire into Kinglake.

Thoughts and prayers to everyone touched by this.

[gclan]

Kylarama, thank you so much for sharing your Mother in law's beautifully written, emotive story. I can't even begin to imagine what people went through during that day.

We were down at the Black Spur just after the flooding in Qld, and these same people that had lost everything the year before, were holding a charity auction night to raise money for the flood victims. Many had made beautiful quilts etc... as they had nothing else to donate, and it still brings a tear to my eye thinking about how generous these people were.

Jet, your sentiments sum up exactly how I also feel. These are the true heroes!



 

[speewa158]

Up my neck of the woods we sit waiting for the worst to happen hoping it wont . District 22 of the CFA have called for 34 crews on day & night shift . Every thing is in place we hope . Everywhere is so dry & ready to go as it was 5 years ago . Hopefully we will finish the fire season having done training only

[gordo350]

The universe decided to dump 6 mm of rain on us this morning.  Almost just to say that we will not burn today . One big cloud and 15 minutes later it's gone. February 7 is a day I wish I could forget and pray that I never do.

gordo350

[gordo350]

Just got a pager msg that sat and sun are both tfb's for the whole of vic.

gordo350

[Bird]

Weather is going to be nasty this weekend to... 40+

[gclan]

Stay safe down there.

[Stozz]

Thanks for sharing Kylarama.

Our camper often makes me think of the Victorian bushfires and the families affected.  We bought the KK from a young couple who were from Kinglake. They lost their home, family business (earthmoving equipment run with his dad) and everything they owned. They did build a new home on their land, but they said it was never the same, it never felt like home and held too many sad memories for them.  So after a year or so, they sold everything, bought the KK and took three months to travel across to coastal WA to start a new life.  They had only been here in WA a few weeks when they advertised the KK. We bought it and they used the money to put towards a deposit on their new home.  I often wonder how they are going, and hope that their new life has brought many new happy memories.

[Brett B]

Yes a bad day it was
It will haunt me for ever
Not sure what was worse the terror of the fire or what we seen the next day
But lm still here and very grateful for that
The generosity of fellow Aussies and our community spirit it cant be put into words 
Thank you

[slave]

I was surfing the net a couple of days ago and found your MIL's blog. It was very touching, but what I found the most amazing was how some crockery appeared to remain intact, some beyond recognition and some broken in large pieces.

[kylarama]

Not sure what was worse the terror of the fire or what we seen the next day

The Sunday felt worse, Saturday was surreal, but Sunday the gravity of it all sunk in.  We didn't sleep a wink that night and I was in and out checking up on friends around the area.  We had to do shopping Sunday afternoon to feed the kids and visit the Red Coss centre, as the inlaws were put on the missing list and the phone had been ringing off the hook because of it.  Inlaws were fine, they left on the Friday and stayed at their sons house in the city. 
While in the supermarket in Diamond Creek my partner got a call confirming her folks home was gone and one of their neighbors was missing.  So distraught, we just left the half full trolley and walked out. 

what I found the most amazing was how some crockery appeared to remain intact, some beyond recognition and some broken in large pieces.

It was one of the most bizarre things seeing how things had burnt.  Like you said crockery appeared okay, but shattered when you touched it.  Not 3 metres from the back of the house was a 6ft high mudbrick wall that the two 45kg gas bottles stood behind.  Not a mark on them!  Paint in tact, one had a little black soot on it and was still full,  the other empty as it was connected to the stove.  By one of the dams was the Honda fire pump, the carby had melted and the tank split, but the pump housing still had water in it.  2 metres away on ashen ground was a very bloated 10L plastic jerry can still with a few litres of fuel in it?  Around the back of the sheds the FIL's tinny had melted, leaving a silver trail of alloy down the hill into the gully, the steel trailer a pancake on the ground.  Yet less than 10 metres away was their old Magna that almost appeared untouched in comparison.

Up my neck of the woods we sit waiting for the worst to happen hoping it wont . District 22 of the CFA have called for 34 crews on day & night shift . Every thing is in place we hope . Everywhere is so dry & ready to go as it was 5 years ago . Hopefully we will finish the fire season having done training only

Fingers crossed you and all the other CFA crews have a completely boring and uneventful weekend, with no need to leave the house or station.

[speewa158]

So far So good 

[scarps]

So far So good 

how's tomorrow look? Not sure if the media are telling the truth.......go figure

[speewa158]

Up this way the long dry grass that hasn't been eaten is standing getting drier as the heat wears on .  You do the math on that equation . lt will go so we sit ready to do what ever we can lf we have to 

[gordo350]

NEVER underestimate a running grass fire speewa

gordo350

[D4D]

Doesn't look good out Gippsland way

[ozbogwam]

Doesn't look good out Gippsland way

Glad my folks sold up and moved out of Goongerah a few years back. Had a couple of near misses and this one doesn't look good at the moment

[koshari]

Doesn't look good out Gippsland way

Had to go through yallourn north last 2 days

[evans52]

Very touching Kylarama.

Today just after 12pm a fire about 8 km's out of town (our town is safe), that only last weekend was brought under control after burning for 3 weeks, re-ignited in strong winds and jumped containment lines. It is about 1 km from a small town outside of ours and burning un-controlled with about a 8km front. It is a site to be-hold at the moment in an awesomely terrifying way. My Wife and I both have work colleagues who live on acreage in it's path but at the moment they are okay and equipped with support at hand. From my shed roof I can clearly see the flames and the lights of the CFS (Country Fire Service) and also the Forestry Department at properties in it's immediate path ready to do their "thing". Being an ex-CFS Member for a number of years, one can't help but feel helpless.

[jtraf]

My thoughts are with all the people in harms way and especially with the men and women whom volunteer and work to fight the fires.

One of my sons good friends father was a cfa member who fought the fires and helped mop up in Kinglake. He was full of life and bubbly but the events of that weekend changed him and many poeple. Nature has the keys and we are just passenger along for the ride..