Heatwave
If they are trying to raise our levels of alert-ness to from ‘mildly alarmed’ to ‘out-and-out panicky’, they’re doing a really good job.
Tomorrow, we are being told, NSW is facing the worst fire weather that we’ve seen in decades, if not ever. Most parts of the state are rated as being at ‘catastrophic’ fire danger levels, including Sydney.
Not where I am, obviously, because I’m in the inner city and it’s not fire-prone. But outside this particular circle anywhere in Sydney that backs on to bush is going to be at risk. And outside Sydney, where last year’s rains, followed by months of low-no rainfall have created a tinderstack of fuel...well, they’re already warning people to leave the highest risk areas.
While we (ie, all of Australia) have been having heatwave conditions for the past couple of weeks, on the coast where I am we’ve been lucky to have easterly sea breezes keeping the temperatures down to just under 30° most days.
High temperatures have meant there have been fires burning across the country for the past week or so, with appalling consequences in Tasmania-townships in the south devastated. Ifeel so sad for all of those who have lost everything, all those memories, all those precious things. Apparently there are 100 or so people unaccounted for - a dreadful, dreadful situation.
For us in Sydney the ingredients are all there for a really dreadful tomorrow: forecast temperatures of 43°, ‘dry’ thunderstorms and high winds. On Twitter the ferry/bus/train accounts were giving sage advice about ‘take a bottle of water on your way to work tomorrow, don’t get on the ferry/bus/train if you are feeling sick, and ask for help, OK?’ The news bulletins, newspapers, everywhere are full of warnings, over-the-top descriptions (‘the perfect storm of events’), dire predictions. It’s just plain scary. Are they enjoying the opportunity to put the fear of God into us just a little bit too much? But then, the various emergency services personnel are similarly grim in their language and in the nature of their warnings. I wouldn’t have thought it was in their best interests to scare-monger.
I still have nightmares about the summer of 1993-1994, when Sydney was ringed by fire. From my (then) office all you could see North, South and West were massive plumes of roiling black, grey and white smoke. Major roads in and out (heck, I think most roads in and out) were shut. Burnt leaves were being blown in on the strong winds and landing on city streets. And the stench of burning was everywhere. Even though I wasn’t directly affected it still affected me. I don’t want to see that again. :(
Tomorrow, we are being told, NSW is facing the worst fire weather that we’ve seen in decades, if not ever. Most parts of the state are rated as being at ‘catastrophic’ fire danger levels, including Sydney.
Not where I am, obviously, because I’m in the inner city and it’s not fire-prone. But outside this particular circle anywhere in Sydney that backs on to bush is going to be at risk. And outside Sydney, where last year’s rains, followed by months of low-no rainfall have created a tinderstack of fuel...well, they’re already warning people to leave the highest risk areas.
While we (ie, all of Australia) have been having heatwave conditions for the past couple of weeks, on the coast where I am we’ve been lucky to have easterly sea breezes keeping the temperatures down to just under 30° most days.
High temperatures have meant there have been fires burning across the country for the past week or so, with appalling consequences in Tasmania-townships in the south devastated. Ifeel so sad for all of those who have lost everything, all those memories, all those precious things. Apparently there are 100 or so people unaccounted for - a dreadful, dreadful situation.
For us in Sydney the ingredients are all there for a really dreadful tomorrow: forecast temperatures of 43°, ‘dry’ thunderstorms and high winds. On Twitter the ferry/bus/train accounts were giving sage advice about ‘take a bottle of water on your way to work tomorrow, don’t get on the ferry/bus/train if you are feeling sick, and ask for help, OK?’ The news bulletins, newspapers, everywhere are full of warnings, over-the-top descriptions (‘the perfect storm of events’), dire predictions. It’s just plain scary. Are they enjoying the opportunity to put the fear of God into us just a little bit too much? But then, the various emergency services personnel are similarly grim in their language and in the nature of their warnings. I wouldn’t have thought it was in their best interests to scare-monger.
I still have nightmares about the summer of 1993-1994, when Sydney was ringed by fire. From my (then) office all you could see North, South and West were massive plumes of roiling black, grey and white smoke. Major roads in and out (heck, I think most roads in and out) were shut. Burnt leaves were being blown in on the strong winds and landing on city streets. And the stench of burning was everywhere. Even though I wasn’t directly affected it still affected me. I don’t want to see that again. :(