Smoke and Fire
The sun was up before 6 am, and so was I. It was still dark though, the sky a grim mix of mustard yellow, orange and coral pink.
Thicker than winter mist, I couldn’t see the mountains for the smoke haze.
Ten birds flew past my ears. It’s a strange sensation, but they couldn’t see me. There was barely a tweet, a twitter or a cheep to be heard. The wildlife was spooked by tree-ghosts beneath the smog.
It was unsettling.
I hope we get a freak downpour to put out the 70 fires still raging across NSW this weekend. It’s only wishful thinking, but we’re more desperate for water than we’ve ever been. And there’s no rain forecast before the end of next January.
The closest wildfire is 40 km away. It’s been burning out of control for 2 weeks; others started more recently.
One giant inferno has burnt almost 190000 hectares. The maps show vast tracts of the state in shadow where fires have decimated the land. Strong, hot winds pick up embers starting new fire-storms where they land.
A friend told me her family was safe but they were evacuated two days ago. She won’t know if she lost her home until they reopen the road, allowing residents back in.
I feel for her.
I get her pain.
I lost my first home to fire 25 years ago. I didn’t lose my little boy, my husband or the baby girl in my belly. For that I’m grateful, but losing everything but a car and a small overnight bag was hard. It hurt deeply, making me depressed for a year that I can barely remember. Could have been worse though; if I lost my people my own world would have crashed around me.
At least one of the four nearby fires was deliberately lit. The man responsible is in police custody. Probably safer inside than out, there’s a mob of people angry with him.
I don’t know how anyone could do it? How could someone cause chaos and tragedy on a massive scale? Why would a person willingly wreck family lives, turning homes and belongings into ash piles?
One blaze is in high country called The Waterfall Way. It’s in our New England region and is picture-postcard beautiful.
Whenever we would holiday on the North Coast, we’d stop there. We’d go for a bush-walk to stretch legs that had been cramped in a car for hours. We’d watch the waterfalls, leaning over the rail to feel the fine mist rise and fall on our arms and faces.
No water in the falls now, they’re dry. There’ll be a wind change this afternoon, threatening the small village of Ebor. It may destroy one of this state’s beautiful places. Creating more dead forest, blackened ground and smoke to smother the land.
The ‘Fires Near Me’ website says everything is under control. I want that to be true, but part of me is doubtful.
There’s no danger here, we’ve just been engulfed by the smoke haze and a sky with a sun that doesn’t look quite right. A red orb the colour of fire. It didn’t rise above the haze until well after 8.
I looked at the sun directly, taking photos due east. It’s something I’ve never been able to do before, even on cloudy days. The pictures haven’t been altered, no tints or trims or effects.
The colour spectrum around the sun looked like those imagined versions of our solar system.
It spooked the wildlife and it spooked me.
Our bush fire danger period has just started.
One million hectares razed.
Two hundred homes burnt.
Four people dead.
Countless buildings blackened wrecks.
So much scorched earth.
Fire-fighters being everyday heroes-
tackling firewalls 25 m high.
Communities pulling together.
Strangers supporting each other.
Land so dry from drought its ready kindling.
