Update on the bushfire

@JudyEv (340256)
Rockingham, Australia
January 26, 2017 7:45pm CST
I'm hours behind my usual log in time but it's been a bit hectic here lately. We had two 'evacuees' stay the night together with their two dogs. They are good friends of ours. The husband was fighting a bushfire near us yesterday and the wife helped in the fire 'shed' documenting discussions on the two-way and helping where she could. Their house was in the area which was evacuated so they stayed the night with us. They've just gone off to suss out whether they are allowed back into their house. No houses were lost luckily but 1,000 acres of bush and pasture was burnt. Vince took the wife for a drive last night to try to see if their house was safe and managed to get some speccy (spectacular) photos of one of the water-bombers discharging its load.
28 people like this
27 responses
Laurel (L_B)
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
27 Jan 17
So sad all that land burned. I hope your friends home was safe.
4 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Jan 17
The fire did get close to their house but it hasn't been touched by the fire. They were allowed home late this afternoon.
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Laurel (L_B)
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
27 Jan 17
@JudyEv Oh that is good to hear.
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Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (121604)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Jan 17
Are bushfires a common occurrence at this time of year in Australia, or is it something that has gotten worse over the years due to climate change and global warming? I hope everyone is doing okay and is safe from harm.
3 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Jan 17
Bushfires are common during summer but they also seem to have become more intense over the last decade or so. Arsonists don't help either. Thanks for the good wishes. This one seems to be under control now.
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Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (121604)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Jan 17
@JudyEv We've also seen an increase in the number and intensity of wildfires here in the US.
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Jan 17
@moffittjc They seem to be particularly intense and dangerous the last decade or so.
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Heather Echola
@GardenGerty (160708)
• United States
27 Jan 17
Wow, fire is scary. It is good you have room to share with friends in need. I know they would hate to leave their dogs behind.
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DE
@DaddyEvil (137259)
• United States
30 Jan 17
@JudyEv Into the laundry? Is that room better protected or something, Judy? (Sorry, I'm just confused now.)
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
30 Jan 17
@DaddyEvil I just don't really want him wandering through the whole house so I'd shut him in the laundry. It's as safe as anywhere else in the house.
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Jan 17
If we ever get a big fire we are going to bring Herc into the laundry.
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Always smiling
@allknowing (136588)
• India
27 Jan 17
Glad that you were Good Samaritans - not surprising though
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Jan 17
Thank you. These are good friends. They would have done the same for us.
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hereandthere
@hereandthere (45645)
• Philippines
27 Jan 17
were those 1000 acres of bush and pasture were trees and grass for livestock?
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hereandthere
@hereandthere (45645)
• Philippines
28 Jan 17
@JudyEv i remember the koala that had burnt paws a few years ago.
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Jan 17
@hereandthere Did you see the photo of the fireman giving a koala a drink? I think that went viral.
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Jan 17
A lot of it was bush but would have been home to many kangaroos, wallabies and other native creatures.
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Evanson Muhungi
@EMuhungi (1712)
• Nairobi, Kenya
27 Jan 17
I have never come to understand who/what usually light bushfire
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Jan 17
Some start from lightning strikes; some are started by arsonists or by a spark from a machine of some sort.
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katsmeow1213
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
27 Jan 17
Awesome pic! Hope they get the fire out soon!
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katsmeow1213
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
27 Jan 17
@JudyEv oh good..
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Jan 17
They are now 'mopping up' so the worst is over and people are now allowed to return to their homes.
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Anna
@LadyDuck (471456)
• Switzerland
27 Jan 17
I hope that their house is safe, it must be terrible to lose everything in a fire.
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Anna
@LadyDuck (471456)
• Switzerland
27 Jan 17
@JudyEv I am glad that all the houses are safe.
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Jan 17
No houses were lost - just some sheds so that is a good result really.
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Gary Marsh
@garymarsh6 (23405)
• United Kingdom
28 Jan 17
I hope all is well and safe for them
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Jan 17
It is under control now and only a few sheds were lost so it could have been much worse. Thanks for the good wishes.
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Jillybean1222
@jillybean1222 (6407)
•
27 Jan 17
it's good that you can open your home to the evacuees. hope they are all safe.
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Jan 17
They've all been allowed home now although some are still without power.
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Valerie J. Routhieaux
@just4him (317089)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
27 Jan 17
I'm glad you were able to help them out. I hope the fire is out soon so they can return home. That is a very good picture.
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Valerie J. Routhieaux
@just4him (317089)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
27 Jan 17
@JudyEv That's wonderful. I'm so glad they could go home.
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Jan 17
Thanks. They were able to go home late this afternoon so they are pleased and relieved.
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Timea
@tzwrites (4835)
• Romania
27 Jan 17
Thankfully homes were not affected by the fire
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Jan 17
Several sheds were lost but no homes, thank goodness.
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The Invisible Man
@TheInvisibleMan (17597)
•
27 Jan 17
Take care and stay safe.
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Jan 17
Thank you. The fire has virtually been put out now.
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The Invisible Man
@TheInvisibleMan (17597)
•
27 Jan 17
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syowi
@syeow1 (5136)
• India
27 Jan 17
Oh no really a bad news .May Allah bless them.
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Jan 17
Thank you. No houses were lost and no lives so that is the good news.
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syowi
@syeow1 (5136)
• India
28 Jan 17
@JudyEv thank to Almighty everybody is save.
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Shadi
@Madshadi (8840)
• Brussels, Belgium
27 Jan 17
That's a pity. I hope fire will stop spreading. And im glad fire didnt reach your phone and electricity cables
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Jan 17
Thank you. IF the power goes off, it becomes very difficult to stop any small fires around your house.
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Judy Story
@jstory07 (139725)
• Roseburg, Oregon
27 Jan 17
Good pictures and I hope the homes are safe.
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Jan 17
In the end no homes were lost, just a couple of sheds.
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DE
@DaddyEvil (137259)
• United States
30 Jan 17
It looks like Vince got fairly close to the fire last night. I'm surprised they let him drive that close, but maybe they decided if you let him out of the house without your supervision, he might be old enough to watch out for himself, too... IDK! (I don't know!) (grinning and teasing you!) That IS a really good photo! (I'm glad you let him out for a little bit, Judy!)
1 person likes this
DE
@DaddyEvil (137259)
• United States
30 Jan 17
@JudyEv Oh, wow! The Canon PowerShot SX230 DOES take a really nice picture, though. It is still pretty crisp and clear after you cropped it almost in half! (I won't pay that much for a camera, though!) I am glad he wasn't as close to the fire as I first thought, Judy. (It was worrying me a little bit.)
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
30 Jan 17
The photo is taken from quite some distance away on the other side of a highway where there was no danger at the time. I've cropped the photo a bit too so you can see the helicopter better.
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rosyrose
@vickyrose (2235)
• Cooma, Australia
27 Jan 17
That's an amazing photo, I'm glad you're safe. It's bushfire season.
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Jan 17
Yes, it is bushfire season at the moment. This one is now under control.
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Scott Ganschow
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
27 Jan 17
That is a speccy photo! Glad to hear everyone is ok.
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Jan 17
A couple of sheds were burnt. One contained a bobcat (machine), boat and a brand-new fire-fighting unit. Sometimes you're not meant to win.
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Kandase
@Kandae11 (55040)
•
27 Jan 17
It must be an awful feeling knowing that one's home could possibly be burnt to the ground.
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340256)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Jan 17
When our friend saw all the smoke around her house and they couldn't really tell if hers was affected or not, she was very anxious.
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