I still pray
Feb. 7th, 2009 01:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hnpccListening to the fires reports on 774 (formerly 3LO). Urgent updates from all over the state it feels like.
West Gippsland, Central Gippsland, Wimmera, Geelong, Alpine region...
The West Gippsland fire is the one I know all the town names from. The fire started off near where the parents of my first boyfriend lived. It crossed the freeway at the town another friend's from and is now causing ember attack on the outskirts of a main town.
I rang my Mum.
"The sky's gone a really weird colour."
"You know that the fire's jumped the freeway and is about 40km from you? You should probably start looking out for ember attack soon."
"Hm.. a piece of ash just blew past. I'll ring you back later."
I don't really believe that my parents are at risk. For starters I can't let myself believe that, and for seconds there's a whole town in the way. Doesn't stop spot fires I know. I don't really believe that they are though.
Last summer when the fires were up in East Gippsland they came very close to the farm of a friend of mine's parents. I was talking to my friend's mother about it a couple of months ago, about the noise, and stuffing tennis balls into downpipes to fill the guttering, clearing flammable materials, making sure to wear long sleeved shirts and pants to protect against heat, about trying to get the cattle to somewhere they might be safe. About how you decide whether to stay or go, and when you decide to go. About the darkness that comes with ash and the strange light and the smell getting through the entire house and making it reek for months.
My parents don't own a farm, they're on the outskirts of town. And the fires are still a long way off. So no, I honestly don't really believe they are in danger.
The creeping fear in the bottom of my gut about people I know in the area doesn't stop though, and the constant warning litany of town names that I used to play tennis at isn't helping.
The real burst of fear for me came at 1pm when the wind suddenly burst into huge gusts as I was hanging out the clothes. It will be hitting Gippsland about nowish. I hope like hell the containment lines hold.
And yeah, I still pray. Pray like hell that no one gets killed. Pray that the change comes early, that the fires will be contained and, again, that no one gets killed.
And listen obsessively to the radio.
The change is coming. It's at the borders and should hit Melbourne CBD by 6, my parents at around 7.
Mum just rang again. From the house she can see the huge plume of smoke from the Central Gippsland fire, which is in a pine plantation, and a dark cloud from the nearer fire. Lots of ash, no embers yet - but they're going out to check for any landing. I'm not worried about the main body of fire, but I am concerned about spot fires starting.
God help the arsonists if they get caught.
West Gippsland, Central Gippsland, Wimmera, Geelong, Alpine region...
The West Gippsland fire is the one I know all the town names from. The fire started off near where the parents of my first boyfriend lived. It crossed the freeway at the town another friend's from and is now causing ember attack on the outskirts of a main town.
I rang my Mum.
"The sky's gone a really weird colour."
"You know that the fire's jumped the freeway and is about 40km from you? You should probably start looking out for ember attack soon."
"Hm.. a piece of ash just blew past. I'll ring you back later."
I don't really believe that my parents are at risk. For starters I can't let myself believe that, and for seconds there's a whole town in the way. Doesn't stop spot fires I know. I don't really believe that they are though.
Last summer when the fires were up in East Gippsland they came very close to the farm of a friend of mine's parents. I was talking to my friend's mother about it a couple of months ago, about the noise, and stuffing tennis balls into downpipes to fill the guttering, clearing flammable materials, making sure to wear long sleeved shirts and pants to protect against heat, about trying to get the cattle to somewhere they might be safe. About how you decide whether to stay or go, and when you decide to go. About the darkness that comes with ash and the strange light and the smell getting through the entire house and making it reek for months.
My parents don't own a farm, they're on the outskirts of town. And the fires are still a long way off. So no, I honestly don't really believe they are in danger.
The creeping fear in the bottom of my gut about people I know in the area doesn't stop though, and the constant warning litany of town names that I used to play tennis at isn't helping.
The real burst of fear for me came at 1pm when the wind suddenly burst into huge gusts as I was hanging out the clothes. It will be hitting Gippsland about nowish. I hope like hell the containment lines hold.
And yeah, I still pray. Pray like hell that no one gets killed. Pray that the change comes early, that the fires will be contained and, again, that no one gets killed.
And listen obsessively to the radio.
The change is coming. It's at the borders and should hit Melbourne CBD by 6, my parents at around 7.
Mum just rang again. From the house she can see the huge plume of smoke from the Central Gippsland fire, which is in a pine plantation, and a dark cloud from the nearer fire. Lots of ash, no embers yet - but they're going out to check for any landing. I'm not worried about the main body of fire, but I am concerned about spot fires starting.
God help the arsonists if they get caught.
