Smokey Business
Not the best title I've come up with but it will do.
I have personally experienced my first Australian bush fire. On Sunday afternoon we drove past the start of it in Mt Kuring-gai and it was quite a sight. Later in the evening D told me that it was right up to the fence near his SIL's house and he had to go and help hose it down to avoid any embers lighting up the roof. People were evacuated but no properties lost. On my way home at 3am it was one of the most spectacular sights. Great orange clouds of smoke seemingly right behind the houses in Asquith/Mt Colah, where D's parents live. I grabbed my camera when I got home and went back to watch the blaze creeping over the ridge beyond the train station.
I was filled with a whole mix of emotions watching this destruction of nature. Wondering how it started and how far it will spread.
Today was a day of endless smoke and helicopters. Road and rail closures stopped me from getting to work on time but I had warned them with what I thought enough warning. Unfortunately an unsympathetic employer remarked that the roads were opened at 5pm and that I needed to get to work, but this was a pointless remark as those roads were clogged with traffic that had backlogged. The train was only running northbound until further notice so I still could not get to work until the southbound train was running. I just couldn't believe that this person was so uncaring about the whole situation. My supervisor who happened to be away on holiday called to see if I was ok and I relayed the situation to her and she couldn't believe that someone would say such things. She said that if anything was happening that required me to be at home then I should be there rather than work. I am so relieved that there is someone who is understanding and realistic in this world.
Hopefully I'll post pics tomorrow.
I have personally experienced my first Australian bush fire. On Sunday afternoon we drove past the start of it in Mt Kuring-gai and it was quite a sight. Later in the evening D told me that it was right up to the fence near his SIL's house and he had to go and help hose it down to avoid any embers lighting up the roof. People were evacuated but no properties lost. On my way home at 3am it was one of the most spectacular sights. Great orange clouds of smoke seemingly right behind the houses in Asquith/Mt Colah, where D's parents live. I grabbed my camera when I got home and went back to watch the blaze creeping over the ridge beyond the train station.
I was filled with a whole mix of emotions watching this destruction of nature. Wondering how it started and how far it will spread.
Today was a day of endless smoke and helicopters. Road and rail closures stopped me from getting to work on time but I had warned them with what I thought enough warning. Unfortunately an unsympathetic employer remarked that the roads were opened at 5pm and that I needed to get to work, but this was a pointless remark as those roads were clogged with traffic that had backlogged. The train was only running northbound until further notice so I still could not get to work until the southbound train was running. I just couldn't believe that this person was so uncaring about the whole situation. My supervisor who happened to be away on holiday called to see if I was ok and I relayed the situation to her and she couldn't believe that someone would say such things. She said that if anything was happening that required me to be at home then I should be there rather than work. I am so relieved that there is someone who is understanding and realistic in this world.
Hopefully I'll post pics tomorrow.
posted by ness at Monday, January 22, 2007
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home