Re: Australian fires

Speaking as someone from a region where wildfires are a serious threat,
our 
prayers are with Oz and especially the men & women on the line.  My
father 
was a VFD member.  I've always been fascinated by the similarities
between 
firefighting and combat.  If a house fire's a skirmish, a wildfire can
range 
from a skirmish to a full-fledged battle to a war.  God bless you down 
there.

Brian B2

>From: aebrain@austarmetro.com.au (Alan E Brain)
>Reply-To: gzg-l@csua.berkeley.edu
>To: gzg-l@csua.berkeley.edu
>Subject: Re:  Australian fires
>Date: Thu, 27 Dec 2001 10:47:40 +1100
>
>
> > So are there any list members around Sidney?
>
>Sydney.
>
> > Is it as bad there as it sounds on NPR?
>
>It's not good. Here in Canberra, the next suburb was given the "stand
by to 
>evacuate" order over the TV, but they managed to get that blaze under 
>control. We spent Christmas day at my Mother's place at the other end
of 
>the city, and managed to get there before the fires cut the road - and
came 
>back just as they re-opened the road. The Australian Mint has some
slightly 
>scorched walls, and Government House had its power cut, but
everything's 
>under control here now. The temperature's gone down, and we had a few
spots 
>of rain overnight, which has helped.
>In Sydney, especially to the SW and in the Blue Mountains, things
aren't as 
>good, but with a bit of luck all will be well.
>
>Trouble is, the forecast for the weekend is for temperatures up to 45',
and 
>winds over 60 kph. That's 115 F and 40 MPH pretty near. The
Sydney-Hobart 
>yacht race has encountered waterspouts ( tornados-at-sea ) so things
could 
>be interesting if we get a willy-willy (small, dry tornado) during a 
>firestorm on land. A blazing tornado is a fortunately really rare 
>phenomenon, but conditions are right for it this year.
>
> > I hope nobody is hurt.
>
>So far, so good in that area - minor injuries only. Cross fingers.
>

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