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--- The Sky Has Fallen on parts of Australia (http://www.gatchamania.net/threadid.php?threadid=5743)
Posted by GrumpyGhostOwl on 05-01-2020 at 08:35:
The Sky Has Fallen on parts of Australia
Parts of Australia have been living a nightmare not unlike the one described by the detestable Zark in "The Sky is Falling." Okay, the oceans aren't boiling but everything else seems to be on fire.
I'm hoping that our eastern states Gatchamaniacs are all okay. Please check in and let us know how you are.
For my part, I am on the other side of the continent worrying about how our fire season is going to go. It's kind of terrifying, watching the east burn.
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Posted by Becky Rock on 07-01-2020 at 00:25:
I've been watching and read somewhere its believed some of the fires were started by arsonists. I hope they catch them but I can't think of a sufficient punishment short of execution. Too many human lives lost, too many homes, too much wildlife. My prayers are with all of you.
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Posted by Ebonyswanne on 07-01-2020 at 03:21:
NSW-- My friends in Blipin barely hung onto their homes in places. My favourite Pie shop in the area "Pie in the Sky" is ashes and rubble. The orchard across the road is gone. (I feel sorry for the owners, its one of our stops in April to buy apples from them.) We have a lot of strong ties in the area that was burnt out badly. Some people we won't know until school goes back if they still have a house.
I'm collecting all my newborn/ baby items for a family who lost everything on the South Coast NSW in Kangaroo Valley. The mum is 34 weeks pregnant, has young kids and lost everything.
The South Coast of NSW has gone through a lot of trauma, loss and heartache. My sister is part of the king charles cavalier group, she had friends on the South Coast, lose houses. The smoke in Sydney has been thick.
I am proud of nation in seeing the overflow of donations into collection centres, and quality of it.
The response of our defense forces on home soil. Words aren't enough for how amazing they are in the risks taken to get people to safely, bring tears to my eyes watching footage. I really feel deeply for the people displaced, it's a long road back.
There have been some really good Aussie mateship in places, and the amazing SES and RFS volunteers, a lot of places would have been worse off without them. People taking risks like that without remanding payment for it have my respect- so many heroes.
No exaggerations on the news, its been full on over New Year. Hopefully we get rain soon, some places are so dry.
My four girls have "adopted'a koala rescued from the fires in Port Maquarie before Christmas. Our poor native wildlife caught in those blazes, the devastation is hard to comprehend. 
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Posted by Katblu42 on 07-01-2020 at 09:49:
Gatchamania crashed on me last night when i tried to post this response.
"Safe, but mentally and emotionally struggling to process it all, and consequently kind of numb.
I wanted to explain more about what it's like here and how I feel, but it became a very long post and I wasn't really explaining it well. So I changed to bullet points.
I am safe.
My loved ones are safe.
Fire does not threaten my home, place of business or family.
The area already destroyed by fire is unfathomably huge.
Homes have been burned to the ground.
Businesses have been destroyed.
Lives have been lost.
Thousands have been evacuated from their homes.
Communities have been cut off.
Fires are still burning.
I have so much gratitude, respect and pride in the people who have fought and continue to fight these fires, including NSW Fire and Rescue, the police, the Ambulance Service, the military and especially the volunteers of the Rural Fire Service and State Emergency Services who are often the first to respond.
I have had months of smokey air and a dusting of fine ash over everything. I feel like it's been ages since I saw a clear blue sky, and I miss it - it's getting me down.
But so many are suffering sooo much worse. I can't begin to imagine what it must be like to evacuate, watch the sky blacken until daytime looks like midnight, or face walls of fierce flame reaching far above the highest treetops.
I dread the next few months because summer has just begun, so we are expecting to endure more days of "catastrophic fire conditions."
Sorry for rambling - like I said, hard to process"
Ebony, I'm glad you and your loved ones are safe. I think almost everyone in this state can say they have holidayed in, visited or driven through at least one of the towns or villages that have been all but wiped out. The fires have destroyed so many of our beautiful tourist destinations and holiday (vacation) spots. And for the towns trying to rebuild the loss of tourism income will come as another blow.
Becky, yes some fires have been deliberately lit by arsonists and idiots who ignore total fire bans. They tend to be fires close to populated areas, quickly accessed and controlled. As far as I'm aware the really big, fierce fires have all been started by more natural causes - some by lightning strikes (during "dry thunderstorms").
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Posted by KT1972 on 07-01-2020 at 22:39:
It's times like this that I feel so helpless.
While I'm obviously not directly affected by the fires, I do have family down under, so naturally I am concerned for their welfare, however, at least one of my cousins are regularly posting on FB, so that reassures me that they are safe.
All I can do is hope that everyone stays safe and that those brave men and women tasked with fighting the flames are successful sooner rather than later.
Stay strong, Australia, you can beat this!
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Posted by Becky Rock on 09-01-2020 at 00:49:
I'm glad to hear you're all okay. That must have been frightening, Ebonny, to have the orchard burn across the road.
What ever happened to seeding clouds to make them rain?
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Posted by Daniella T on 14-01-2020 at 19:30:
Aussie Gatchamaniacs, stay safe!
It’s heartbreaking to see the news from Australia— there’s no other way to put it. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.
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They were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Naturally, they became heroes -- Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan.
Posted by Ebonyswanne on 15-01-2020 at 02:16:
KT1972-- The smoke has been on the extreme in places. Canberra has had readings of the worst pollution in the world.
I don't feel we have had a day without the smell of burning leaves outside. I woke up one night in a panic, the smell was sooooo strong I had dream of the house burning. (Wasn't real of course, but I got up, and did a sweep, closed windows. Put the air con on to filter it out.)
To clarify Becky-- I don't live in Bilpin, my house WAS NOT in danger, and I'm more suburban. I have friends who do, and the place I mentioned is a regular stop when we go to visit the area. We spend a lot of time around Windsor. (Maps would show the locations.)
My friends were the ones who are still trying to deal with trauma from the fires in the area.
(BUT the teenage goon, next-recruit-for- Galactor- next door decided on a catastrophic day to set fire to my hedge, and we were putting out embers flying into the gutters of my house as we rushed to put it out. That was in November.
My in-laws however live on a farm in the Hunter Valley, and a fire started 2klms from their home New Years eve, we were at the farm. The awesome RFS got it under control within a few hours, so we didn't have to leave. It was a moment of wondering how to get a stubborn old farmer to leave the house, cause he was staying no matter what happened.
To understand Sydney, is see how much bushlands are a part of the city. We love our bush!
There is a lot of recovery to come.
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Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up- Pablo Picasso.
Posted by Becky Rock on 16-01-2020 at 00:25:
I saw on the news two people who were arrested for starting some of the fires may be terrorists, so I fear at least some of the fires were set on purpose as a terrorist attack.
Ebony - Thanks for the clarification. As for your idiot teen neighbor - did you have him arrested?
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Posted by Ebonyswanne on 21-01-2020 at 09:55:
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American reporting... too funny.. in a way... kinda.
I didn't see any news of it being a terrorist attack through deliberate lighting of fires. There are just idiots that like the attention a fire brings. Sometimes those kinds of people join the RFS.
The good news I found recently is the allocation of funds for longer term mental health support for people affected by fires, and emergency service personnel.
A lot of psychologist, counsellors/psychotherapists still will be doing a lot pro bono work in that area. I'm in touch with people working directly in the field in supports, it's good news.
The media leaves, people forget about longer term trauma, grief, people starting over.
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Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up- Pablo Picasso.
Posted by Becky Rock on 22-01-2020 at 00:31:
I'm glad the people who will need help will be able to get it.
I second your opinion on the American reporting. A lot of it becomes commentary instead of reporting.
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Posted by ElectricWhite on 23-01-2020 at 00:50:
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I think the reporter was trying to make sense of it....after all, everyone knows that only America produces idiots!
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Posted by Ebonyswanne on 30-01-2020 at 11:30:
I'm going to be gone from here for a while.
I'm attending a seminar soon, on recovery for people affected by the aftermath of the bushfires in my field of work.
Long after the media leave, people are still recovering emotionally.. grief, loss , trauma. I have empathy for people in tough places in life.
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Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up- Pablo Picasso.
Posted by Becky Rock on 31-01-2020 at 00:08:
I hope the seminar goes well.
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I'm writing a book. I've got the page numbers so far...
Posted by Katblu42 on 14-02-2020 at 12:58:
With the help of heavy rain falls over the last couple of weeks all fires in the state of NSW have been officially declared "Under Control" for the first time since September!
Emergency volunteers including the SES and RFS (State Emergency Service and Rural Fire Service) are still being kept busy. In Sydney (and many other parts of the state) the rain was accompanied by storms and damaging winds. Trees and power lines are down, there were flash floods in some areas, and there are other areas still watching water levels rise in their rivers and creeks.
Thankfully many of our dams and water catchments are now full, or rising. In some parts of the state there has still not been enough rainfall to say the drought has broken, but at least we can rejoice in the relief the rain has brought.
It seems Mother Nature is not doing things by halves.
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Posted by Ebonyswanne on 22-02-2020 at 00:21:
The rain has been great. My farming relations finally have a few dams full of water for the first time in years.
Some parts of the country are still waiting for the rain..
My friends in Hawkbury went from preparing for bushfires, to a full on flooding of their property within a week.
Busier times ahead.
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Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up- Pablo Picasso.
Posted by Becky Rock on 22-02-2020 at 01:21:
That's great Ebony.
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Posted by Katblu42 on 07-02-2021 at 09:40:
One year later and here we go again . . .
For those who don't know, over the last few days Western Australia has been hit by (a Covid outbreak and 5 day lockdown) bushfires that have destroyed more than 80 homes, and now floods.
GGO I hope you are safe and well.
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Posted by Ebonyswanne on 13-02-2021 at 02:09:
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Yikes! Thats full on.
I've seen some of the news. I had an internet blackout for a few weeks with moving house etc.
I've escaped Sydney masked up etc, and where I'm living now its like.. Pandemic? what pandemic?
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Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up- Pablo Picasso.
Posted by Daniella T on 13-02-2021 at 21:28:
Dear Aussies,
Thinking of you... keep well!
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They were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Naturally, they became heroes -- Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan.
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