HansO, Chicken Little says - Yep the sky is burnin' and no sight of Midnight Oil either!

[barbagris]

Real estate prices in the middle of the Simpson must be soaring.

 

[Ishrub]

Real estate prices in the middle of the Simpson must be soaring.

Not really. 48+C 118+ F there too!

 

[Neville Lush]

A mate of mines place last week.Just a grass fire. Saved the house, lost everything else. Had to ship remaining cattle to a friends 275kms away. He counts himself lucky. Another friend buried his wifes nephew yesterday in NSW. Fire truck rollover after hit by tree. Two died, three crew in hospital. This is just the tip of the iceberg, Aust has had five million hectares burnt so far. I have been worried about Ruzzle and also an old member of this forum JD. There are others of course. The wife and I are in a pretty safe spot, house is full of family today as they do not live in a safe spot and it is "catastrophic" rated today with 42 deg here. Got up early and saw to my bees etc.

 

[breeze]

A mate of mines place last week.Just a grass fire. Saved the house, lost everything else. Had to ship remaining cattle to a friends 275kms away. He counts himself lucky. Another friend buried his wifes nephew yesterday in NSW. Fire truck rollover after hit by tree. Two died, three crew in hospital. This is just the tip of the iceberg, Aust has had five million hectares burnt so far. I have been worried about Ruzzle and also an old member of this forum JD. There are others of course. The wife and I are in a pretty safe spot, house is full of family today as they do not live in a safe spot and it is "catastrophic" rated today with 42 deg here. Got up early and saw to me bees etc.

got no tin shed or anything but wish I could help all the friends I have"nt met

 

[barbagris]

Not really. 48+C 118+ F there too!

Not if you dig down.

Saw this photo yesterday - Truly astonishing. And saddening.

Can clearly differentiate twixt smoke and cloud.

 

[Ishrub]

Yep about to go crazy in the next few hours. 45-46C at Albury near the fire front SW of us.

43.1c here today an hour ago in Canberra - record ever high temperature since records began!

Edit later busted at 16:05 with 44C

No point posting updates as the impacts will not be evident at all for 24 hours or so.
I exchanged texts with Hans at Batemans Bay at the South Coast this morning, wished him luck and not to be his heroic usual self.
He assured me he has no intention of roasting.
HansO's place is neat and clean of heavy vegetation as are his neighbours and immediate area, so best chance of tackling any embers.

In the Alpine high country expecting 50-60 kmh winds with peaking 100kmh wind gusts and mid 40's temps which will take a massive toll. The fire cloud dry lighting storm can generate fire tornadoes with winds speeds exceeding 220kmh.

My suburb was hit by these BACK in the 2003 fires and our house went then.
Footage taken on the day and scientific analysis of fire conditions and type of country similar to todays fires.

 

[Ishrub]

HansO update.
I heard on news update that 4-5 helicopter water bombers had been attacking fire in North Batemans and HansO's Surfside location for 3-4 hours.

I texted him 19:10 and he replied 19:53:

"We are good, there was fire started near us and was a worry but the predicted Southerly came at right time and pushed it away"

It is not over yet though, the Southerly that saved him around 17:00 is driving the fire into other villages and towns further North.

 

[Ishrub]

HansO update in @sweettennbabe 's thread

Update from HansO