nothing but ashes
I had several people asking me recently whether my family was okay, and I have to admit I didn't at first know what they were talking about. Seems I really need to keep abreast of the news better, because when my mother-in-law mentioned bushfires back home I didn't think much of it (we get bushfires all the time), but apparently this was a Big One.
My family is okay because they live in Tassie, and the bushfires were concentrated to the southeast of the mainland, which is Victoria.
I went to the Australian for news; these are photos taken by people in the affected areas:
Photo taken from outside Alissa Rowley's house in Traralgon.
Photo taken by Cara Frankish from McIntyre Lane, Healesville. Taken at 10.15pm on 9/2/09.
Photo taken by Anna Blaney from Commercial Road, Morwell.
Photo taken by Chris Roche of bushfires at Narre Warren North, Harkaway.
Photos taken by Rhys Smith of Churchill/Hazelwood fire, Lawless Rd.
The communities of Healesville and Yarra Glen still have an immediate threat of bushfire surrounding their properties. Houses in the hills of Yarra Glen after Saturday's firestorm. Picture: Stephen Harman
A lone house survives in an area burnt in fires at Callignee. Picture: Tim Carrafa
The home of former Channel Nine newsreader Brian Naylor and his wife Moiree at Kinglake West. Picture: Gary Richardson
An aerial view over Yarra Glen. Picture: Rebecca Michael
CFA volunteer David Tree helps a distressed koala in burnt-out forest at Mirboo North. Pic: Russell Vickery
Yarra Glen CFA firefighter Darren Thompson with a baby sugar glider rescued from the bushfires. Picture: Stephen Harman
The photos of people who have lost their homes and, for some, family members too, were so raw I wanted to cry.
They believe the fires were started by arsonists in Gippsland. 181 people have died so far; more than 50 haven't been identified yet. They're calling it Black Saturday (7th Feb).
My family is okay because they live in Tassie, and the bushfires were concentrated to the southeast of the mainland, which is Victoria.
I went to the Australian for news; these are photos taken by people in the affected areas:
Photo taken from outside Alissa Rowley's house in Traralgon.
Photo taken by Cara Frankish from McIntyre Lane, Healesville. Taken at 10.15pm on 9/2/09.
Photo taken by Anna Blaney from Commercial Road, Morwell.
Photo taken by Chris Roche of bushfires at Narre Warren North, Harkaway.
Photos taken by Rhys Smith of Churchill/Hazelwood fire, Lawless Rd.
The communities of Healesville and Yarra Glen still have an immediate threat of bushfire surrounding their properties. Houses in the hills of Yarra Glen after Saturday's firestorm. Picture: Stephen Harman
A lone house survives in an area burnt in fires at Callignee. Picture: Tim Carrafa
The home of former Channel Nine newsreader Brian Naylor and his wife Moiree at Kinglake West. Picture: Gary Richardson
An aerial view over Yarra Glen. Picture: Rebecca Michael
CFA volunteer David Tree helps a distressed koala in burnt-out forest at Mirboo North. Pic: Russell Vickery
Yarra Glen CFA firefighter Darren Thompson with a baby sugar glider rescued from the bushfires. Picture: Stephen Harman
The photos of people who have lost their homes and, for some, family members too, were so raw I wanted to cry.
They believe the fires were started by arsonists in Gippsland. 181 people have died so far; more than 50 haven't been identified yet. They're calling it Black Saturday (7th Feb).