The raging fire

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Laying there watching the fan she could feel nothing but heat. The whirring blades did not cool her down at all. They just moved the heat around the room. At least it sopped the stillness. Heat coming up from the hot earth after a day of blazing sun. The big yellow ball in the sky had scorched the harsh land below it for days now. The dryness was engulfing. It had not rained for nearly two years. Winter had brought with it some relief but that quickly passed and the land soon returned to it drier state. The lack of rain wasn't so much the problem though. It was the hot sun. That and the idiots who ignored the fire bans. There had been a few close calls in years gone by but thankfully the family farm had always remained safe. A few cattle lost here and there but nothing compared to what others had endured over time. Today was different though. In all her days of living in the majestic outback she had never seen days like the past few. The searing heat was indescribable. There was no way to escape it, no way to cool down. The air was dry, the land was dry and the sun just shone brighter. Standing on the porch of the old homestead she could see the fires in the distance. Silently praying that would be where they stayed. It would only take the slightest change in wind though and it would all be a different story.... ...To you this may just be a story but to many of Australians living in Victoria this is a harsh reality. Horrific bush fires are sweeping the states as the country experiences the worst natural disaster ever. So far 130 are dead with authorities expecting the toll to pass 200 in the next few days. Over 700 homes have been destroyed and at least two towns are nothing more than just names. Thankfully I am out of harms way but my heart is just bleeding for these poor families that have had not just their livelihoods but also their lives torn apart. Without a doubt this is one of the saddest things I have ever heard about. What is yours?