In the past few days, we have received a number of emails asking about our proximity to the bushfires (in Australia,“bush” refers to rural, undeveloped land or country areas) that are ravaging the state of Victoria and receiving lots of press coverage worldwide. Fortunately, we do not live too close to these areas- they are closer to Melbourne than Sydney. However, in January, during the school holidays, we took a 12-day roadtrip out of the state of New South Wales and into Victoria (I’ve been trying to find time to share this trip on the blog- stay tuned!), and it took us directly through some of these areas.
These places have been struggling with drought for years, and the local communities, which rely heavily on agriculture, have been “doing it tough” already. In the past few weeks, they have been having a horrible heat wave that has taken temperatures over 115 degrees. Although we were travelling there just before the heat wave, we experienced over 100 degree heat which was incredibly oppressive. Our impression of the landscape was that it was completely parched and devastated.
Although bushfires are common in the summertime here (one came alarmingly close to our house a few years before we moved here), the current fires are Australia’s worst natural disaster. Sadly, they are now reporting that 108 people have been killed by the fires, and at least 750 homes destroyed, and the fires are still raging (see http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/many-good-people-lie-dead/2009/02/09/1234027889048.html)
Anne
Sunday, February 8, 2009
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