There are no words
Pray for my brother, his family and all families in Melbourne.
I will never complain of being cold again
Latest message:
The toll is now 173 from Saturdays fires
The most amazing thing is when you see the pictures
While the fires are still raging and changing direction without notice and townships are still under threat
The advice to people is
Be dressed in long natural clothing head to toe with glasses
If the fire and smoke is in your street or area it is too late
The safest place to be is in your home
Don’t expect any warning
Don’t expect any help
You are on your own
The final number of deaths for Saturday fires are now close
72 still missing (hopefully some will come home) as of 2.30 am this morning(Tuesday 10th Feb 09 local to him).
d@\/e said,
February 9, 2009 at 9:21 pm
I saw Kevin Rudd, the Australian Prime Minister on TV earlier and he was lost for words too. Our thoughts and prayers are with your brother, his family and the people of Melbourne now.
Grannymar said,
February 9, 2009 at 9:25 pm
Thanks Dave, I spoke to him yesterday and you could hear the smoke in his voice.
wisewebwoman said,
February 9, 2009 at 10:30 pm
OMG, GM, how devastating and awful this all is.
Imagine “you are on your own”. Chilling.
All good thoughts go his way.
XO
WWW
Nancy said,
February 9, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Dear Grannymar,
Your brother and his family and all the other victims of the fires are in our thoughts and prayers.
I also saw Prime Minister Rudd on TV and he had a look of desperation about him.
Pray this comes to an end soon…
steph said,
February 10, 2009 at 8:05 am
Frightening
Grannymar,
Fingers crossed for your brother and all those caught up in this awfulness.
Brighid said,
February 10, 2009 at 10:45 am
Grannymar, hopeful that the worst of the fires is over with. will keep your family and all others in harms way in our prayers.
Magpie11 said,
February 10, 2009 at 11:12 am
Thinking of them for you….
Baino said,
February 10, 2009 at 11:14 am
Grannymar where is he? The fires are well in the country but I believe inching towards the burbs. Yea is the latest town to be threatened and Healsville is on alert. Both are over 2 hours from the CBD so if he’s in the city, he’ll be fine. Fortunately, it’s been cool and some rain overnight. Containment lines are being drawn and the whole country is rallying around those in need. Unfortunately, more hot weather is on the way next week according to the Bureau of Meteorology. I just hope they catch the bastards (yes there were more than one) who lit these monsters.
grannymar said,
February 10, 2009 at 11:50 am
Thanks folks.
Little brother is safe at the moment. Thankfully he is on the edge of the burbs in the airport direction. It is scary to think there was a fire 40 klms from him at the weekend. He talked of the sky changing from bright blue to a brown/orange fog in a very short time.
I could hear the smoke in his voice. You would think he had spent a week locked in a room of cigarette smokers. After 30 years of living in Melbourne he knows about these fires. In the past he assisted as a volunteer fireman. Perhaps a feeling of helplessness is invading his mood.
He is working away - from home when he has the power - it was on a rotation basis last week. Being in the haulage business, keeping trucks on the roads is his headache. Right now one of his priorities is shipping emergency supplies to areas affected by the floods.
whoopsadaisy said,
February 10, 2009 at 1:06 pm
God that is so scary and chilling to be told if you see fire in your street ‘it is too late’ and also that ‘you are on your own’.
How awful for those who have died and/or are missing loved ones, my thoughts are with them all right now x
grannymar said,
February 10, 2009 at 2:08 pm
whoopsadaisy,
Those two points were the reason I posted about the fires. I though it would bring home the reality of life to us, more than a long post or hourly news bulletins.
Magpie11 said,
February 10, 2009 at 8:28 pm
I can’t take it in really..I see the pictures, look at the maps and listen to the reports and still can’t take it in it seems so unreal…and I saw a forest fire years ago up in the NWT in Canada.
grannymar said,
February 10, 2009 at 8:42 pm
Magpie,
The temperature has dropped and there is a chance of rain now (Wednesday).
My heart goes out to those who lost loved ones.
Darlene said,
February 10, 2009 at 8:47 pm
It is just terrible. It is awful to be in the midst of such a catastrophe and awful to feel helpless on the other side of the world. I am sending good thoughts your way and for your brother.
Grannymar said,
February 10, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Thank you Darlene for the good thoughts.
Can you check your URL/blog address it is not working from this end. There may be a (dot) missing or in the wrong place as you have it typed in the line above the comment box.
Darlene said,
February 11, 2009 at 12:16 am
I made a typo in my URL and omitted the g in podge. I have corrected it here, but it still shows up in other posts. Sorry I goofed.
Grannymar said,
February 11, 2009 at 12:31 am
Darlene,
No problem, we all make that mistake at some time. At least now my readers can link back to you properly.
D said,
February 16, 2009 at 10:06 am
I don’t have the right words to say how shocking, saddening, devastating this is.
Grannymar » Nice Day Thank God! said,
February 17, 2009 at 6:57 am
[...] side of the world the fires still burn and the work is only really beginning… I wrote about it here a week [...]