As you are no doubt aware, Australia is in the thick of a terrible bushfire season. The fires have been widespread and the damage done has been disastrous. Fortunately for me our little village, Metung, has been spared but the fires are by no means finished. We live in East Gippsland and that is where a large percentage of the bushfires have happened.
We chose to leave our home on 29th December after packing up a few precious belongings and documents. We were fortunate that our daughter and her partner were with us at the time and they helped us to get organised and made sure that we did leave. They were holidaying with us and they had to leave before the fires cut the Princes Highway and they would then have been cut off from their home in Canberra. Fortunately they made it home just before the highway was closed.
We evacuated to my sister-in-law’s in Traralgon and stayed there for three nights before we headed home as it all seemed to be ok. That was not really the case as a meeting had been called by our village CFA for the following morning. We attended that meeting and as you can see from the video the advice was to get out as the CFA would be unable to protect everyone if the fires kept moving as they were. We immediately set off again to Traralgon where we stayed until yesterday 6th January. We have now come home but we are keeping a watch as things are likely to get bad again at the weekend when much warmer weather is predicted.
We have an app on our phones which gives us warnings on the movement of fires so we know when it is time to leave. This is the site for Victorian Emergencies and how it looks at the moment. If you visit the site you will see how it works. It has been a really helpful app as it keeps us up to date with what is happening.
We have had some rain which is a good thing but not necessarily so for the fire fighting efforts. The volunteers and all the other agencies are doing a magnificent job.
Such a sad time for our country but we will bounce back.
(ABC.net.au)
The latest post for Metung shown on the emergency website Tuesday 7th January 2020.
I am glad to hear you are safe, and I hope you and your family remain ok x
Thank you. We are making sure we stay aware of any alerts.
Glad to hear you’re safe. I hope you remain that way. Take care.
Thanks Miriam. Our little village still looks the same although rather smoky at the moment.
Yes, it’s been smoky here in Melbourne too. Take care
I saw Gippsland on the news and was worried about you, so glad you were safe and are now home. I love the picture of the green shoots through the burning. May it rain and rain and rain…..
Thanks, Cathy. It was good to know that folks were thinking of us.
Stay safe.
Thank you. We know to get out if it looks as though things won’t be safe.
I hope you, yours, and your property remains safe this summer.
Thank you Gary. We are safe at the moment.
I was wondering about you. It’s good that you’ve been spared and I hope it stays that way. We in the US look to your country with such sadness for what is happening there. Stay safe!
Thank you. Unfortunately we have to leave home again today as there are fears for the fires on Friday. Hopefully our home will remain safe.
Oh no. Best wishes to you and yours, and your home.
I have been wondering and worrying a bit about you so I am delighted to hear you are safe. Here’s hoping it stays that way and you get a good long soaking rain soon.
Thank you. We have had some rain but not enough to make a difference. Things are looking bad again for Friday. I am heading off to safety again.
Well stay safe. We are hunkering down for another blizzard. That is better than fire.