Bushfires break through!!!

Watching the news on TV, and reading this sends a chill down my spine. I think we need to be praying for everyone affected by this - people and animals (both pets and wildlife).

The magnitude of this is so terrifying, and the damage potential so huge . . . it's difficult to rationalise.

Please keep Leslie and Louise, and their families and friends in your thoughts and prayers, as the weather conditions in Canberra are worsening this afternoon. The latest figures are 3 people have died and up to 400 houses destroyed.

Stay safe, Leslie and Louise.

My thoughts are with you Leslie, along with your family friends and all those being affected.

Hi Every one! We are still under a heavy blanket of smoke but it is not as bad as it was yesterday! we are to remain alert though! The damage so far is just unbelievable! I can't even begin to grasp what has happened!

I am trying to find out about the RSPCA but know one seems to know the full story. These photos were taken a few minutes ago and as you can see the sun is orange and all around us the visability is poor! you can just make out the hills in one photo! I will tell you more as I find out things! Thanks again for your prayers and support! You have all been so kind to keep us all in your thoughts!

Leslie I just wanted to add my continued well wishes for you and your family. I am so glad that everything thus far as been alright for you and your loved ones. Though the news is just horrible about all of the other homes and the SPCA of all places - just awful! Thank you for keeping us updated here, it's one thing to watch these types of disasters on tv, and quite another to "know" someone who is going through them. Brings it all home so to speak. Stay safe.

I'm glad to hear you're still ok Leslie!
We are still ok as well.
Sending good wishes out to Pete's family and hoping they're ok.
Yass is covered in a blanket of smoke but otherwise we haven't been told of any immediate threat.
The wind did change direction earlier today which would be sending the fire back towards us again, but they said it's not as strong as yesterday and they've got about 50 trucks battling it.
At this stage they haven't told us to be on alert yet.
That's terrible news about the RSPCA
I was worried about it being near the fires because it was in Weston but I could not find out any info. I hope they managed to get the animals out of there
Please continue to take care and keep us posted.
*BIG HUGS*

I hope the situation improves soon.

Thanks

Love the kitty pictures in your signature by the way...they're all beautiful

we may be a permanent terrorist target in NY, but we're fairly protected from the wrath of Mother Nature, like tornados, earthquakes, hurricanes, floods etc etc
The western US has astonishing fires from time to time. Last year was very bad. They actually discovered that one of the fires had been started by fire ranger .

The pictures of the black skies are very scary.

Bundylee, I am so very very sorry to hear about the animal shelter!!! I hope and pray some of them somehow made it out!!! I am also praying for the families who have lost their loved ones and for the ones who are still missing! Keep us posted! I'm glad you are still safe and hope Peter's parents are okay as well!!

Continued thoughts and hope and love being send to you guys, Leslie and Louise. Thank you to both of you for keeping us updated.

Lucia, I live in a western suburb of Denver so I was pretty close to the Hayman Fire (totalling 137,000 acres burned) which was the one that the forest ranger started. I was probably a good 30 miles from the fire, but those pictures that Leslie posted look exactly like the bad days of Hayman although she's much, much closer to the fire. What you can't post pictures of is the burning in your lungs and eyes, the "dirty" feeling about everything because everything is covered in ash and soot. You can't post the real fear of something that big and powerful that people have absolutely no control over, and just being at the whim of the wind. Yet in all that fear, there is almost always a compassion of the human spirit that goes out to help those less fortunate than you. The same compassion shown after 9/11.

Keep safe, Bundy. If it looks like its getting too close, pack up the fuzzies and get out of there!

Leslie - this is the first I've been on-line in a couple of days, but please know you've been in my prayers! We heard the news, and I immediately thought of you. I sure hope Pete's family is OK.

Louise - didn't know you were in the affected area.

Our prayers going out to both of you and your families!!!!!!



Most importantly - BE SAFE!!!!!

Stay safe Louise and Leslie! Glad to hear you're ok for now. I was very sad to hear about the other houses and RSPCA. I hope you and your families continue to be ok.

Lucia, I feel the same way about living in the northeast. Lancaster is hardly New York, but I feel pretty secure from things like floods, tornadoes, and everything else, too.

Glad to hear things are still OK. I watched the news last night. It's just such a devastating sight. They were showing people trying to save their homes by using garden hoses. I felt so sad...and helpless.

The worst thing we have ever been through out my way was the Ice Storm '98. I will NEVER forget that. We went 19 days without hydro, water, phone (thank God, I had a cell phone that worked). The year prior to that, we had installed a wood stove. Did not listen to our friends mock us and say it was a crazy idea and too much work. So glad we did it. That in itself was the one reason I was able to stay home (and warm).

Leslie, Louise and everyone else affected by this, you are in my prayers and thoughts.

Please be careful.....!!!

Leslie and Louise,

I'm so glad to hear that you are all doing OK. Y'all are still in my thoughts. Big hugs to both of you! And kitty purrs from Ivo, too.

Christy

We are still ok and I've found out some news about the RSPCA.
A lady that I work with is a volunteer fire fighter so I asked her if she knew anything about the situation with the RSPCA.
The RSPCA was not completely lost but they did lose a house, admin building and some other buildings.
The majority of the animals were evacuated but they did lose some cats and birds.
They moved a lot of the animals to the nearby National Zoo & Aquarium as it was the closest place with cages that they could use.
So that is some good news that most animals are safe with only a small number being lost.

How brave those people were to rescue the animals! I'm so grateful there are people like that in this world. It's sad that anyone or any animal got hurt in this terrible fire, but thank God many were saved.

I'm so glad to hear that most of the animals were evacuated!!! And Louise, you stay safe, too!!!! Your family and Bundy's are still in my thoughts and prayers.