Bushfires to be Followed by Thunderstorms

@JudyEv (381837)
Rockingham, Australia
January 9, 2016 1:08am CST
Some of my friends here will remember I wrote about the huge bushfire that is burning out of control to the north of us. Vince and I are keeping a eye on the government's Fire and Emergency Services (FESA) Alerts and Warnings website. Now another town has been told to evacuate but the latest warning is for thunderstorms and risk of flooding in susceptible areas. Storms are forming in the far north but are expected to head south before nightfall. Perhaps the expected rains will help with the control of the fire. Extreme situations like this bring out the best and worst in people. One man stayed to defend his home, describing fireballs and immense heat and winds. He saved his and his neighbour's house and the house across the road. It is a shame though that he saw fit to criticise the FESA workers, saying none had been down his street and that he'd saved three houses with none of their fancy equipment. I thought that was a bit harsh. They would have been working their butts off elsewhere and the first order for FESA and volunteer fire-fighters is 'don’t put yourself at risk'. This guy did a great job but perhaps he just got lucky. The website doesn't give any real news, just warnings and alerts. Consequently anyone who hears anything, substantiated or not, puts it up on Facebook. Most of this doesn't really help either as sometimes the news is grossly exaggerated or simply without a shred of truth. But it all preys on the shell-shocked minds of people who might have had to leave their homes with very little warning. I wonder what tomorrow will bring. I've never had to go through a catastrophe but I always feel for those facing tornadoes and hurricanes. It must be very traumatic.
16 people like this
14 responses
@LadyDuck (502208)
• Italy
9 Jan 16
You are right Judy, surely the man did a great job, but who can say if he has also been lucky. The house of my grandparents were flooded in 1969, they had 2 meters of water inside the house and it took a full week to go away, you can imagine how the house was when they were able to go back.
4 people like this
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jan 16
There would have to be a lot of mould and mud through the house and a lot of belongings ruined by so long in the water. How tragic for them.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (502208)
• Italy
10 Jan 16
@JudyEv They were able to move upstairs most of their furniture, but something went underwater. It took weeks to remove the mud and years to stop humidity to come out from the walls.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jan 16
@LadyDuck I have seen TV footage showing people moving things upstairs when there is a flood. There aren't a lot of two storey houses in Australia although there are more than there used to be. In Queensland in the flood areas they often build them as two storeys.
2 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
9 Jan 16
We used to have regular news reports about fires in Australia, but I cannot remember the last time that such a news report was made here.
3 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
10 Jan 16
@JudyEv There was a time that it qualified as international news, but all the media care about is the private lives of soap opera actors.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jan 16
Damian in Ireland heard about the other fire that threatened us and rang to what the situation was. He hasn't rung this time but I don't know if they've heard about it or not. I guess it's hardly international news.
1 person likes this
@bookbar (1609)
• Sudbury, England
10 Jan 16
@Asylum Even the 'World news, is cut to almost nothing if celebs aren't involved...news doesn't appear to be news any more
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
10 Jan 16
I hope the rain comes to help put out the fires - it must be awful if your home is at risk. You would think that the website would be keeping people up to date with what's happening as rumour-mongering can get out of hand.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jan 16
I think that would be better but it only gives alerts and warnings so FB goes mad with people commenting.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238277)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Jan 16
I hope the rain does quiet down the fires.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (238277)
• Walnut Creek, California
10 Jan 16
@JudyEv Did they fail to evacuate when "ordered" to?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jan 16
@TheHorse I think most would go if ordered to by the police. The trouble is - sometimes they order people out at what seems far too early when the danger doesn't appear very great but I guess they've have traffic jams otherwise. Then, if nothing happens, they often won't let them go back to their homes for ages. People get pretty stroppy about it all.
1 person likes this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
10 Jan 16
I hope the thunderstorms aid in putting out the fires. It's sad when an agency doing all it can to help, gets criticised by someone who thinks he can do it better.
2 people like this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
10 Jan 16
@JudyEv You find that everywhere.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jan 16
Some people like to shoot their mouths off or big-note themselves.
1 person likes this
@cintol (11261)
• United States
9 Jan 16
I hope the fires don't come near you, fire is one of my biggest fears and we have had many in CO in the last few years. Thank goodness none were close enough to us to warrant and evacuation. Stay safe my friend
2 people like this
@cintol (11261)
• United States
10 Jan 16
@JudyEv Hopefully the rains can help them get it better under control.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jan 16
Thanks for your concern. I can't imagine that we're in danger from this one but they don't have it under control yet.
1 person likes this
@Marcyaz (35316)
• United States
9 Jan 16
This is terrible to be so close to a fire or to have a river overflow into people's property. Tornadoes are bad enough and high winds also can do lots of damage.
2 people like this
@Marcyaz (35316)
• United States
10 Jan 16
@JudyEv Tornadoes are very, very scary but of course so it a fire.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jan 16
I think a tornado would be very scary. I don't know which would be worse - a fire or a tornado.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
10 Jan 16
I hope the rains help and that before too long they are able to contain the fire.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jan 16
There hasn't been much change although some roads are open again. The weather continues to be hot and windy.
1 person likes this
@simone10 (54180)
• Louisville, Kentucky
9 Jan 16
I hope you and your family are safe from the bush fires. Like you said, maybe the rain will help get the fire under control and possibly even put it out.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jan 16
I'm not sure how much rain they had as we were away for the night. The fire is still burning and all the same alerts are in place at the moment.
@bookbar (1609)
• Sudbury, England
9 Jan 16
While storms may be a wet solution isn't lightening another threat...stay safe !
2 people like this
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jan 16
Thanks Jenny. Yes, lightning is very much on the cards. The storms seem to have blown over and actually missed our place. Not sure how much fell on the fires as we were away for the night.
1 person likes this
@IreneVincent (15960)
• United States
9 Jan 16
This all sounds very disturbing. I hope you will be safe. I'm sorry for those who are losing their homes. What a disaster this is!! I haven't really heard anything about it on International news. I'm surprised about that. I watch the news channel every night. Perhaps the rain will help
2 people like this
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jan 16
Maybe it's not huge news on an international scale. Or perhaps it was just lower in importance so didn't make the news.
@troyburns (1405)
• New Zealand
9 Jan 16
I've just been reading about Yarloop - sounds very bad, although the worst may be over. Misinformation can be a killer - it's usually best to stay away from social media at times like this, I think.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jan 16
That's true. People sensationalise things at the drop of a hat. Yarloop would be a low socio-economic region - cheap rents, small country town, near an huge refinery. We heard the fire hydrants wouldn't work - but that's social media again. I'm sure some wouldn't have had insurance and so it goes.
1 person likes this
@hiru84 (942)
• Malaysia
9 Jan 16
I'm so sad about this. Rain is the best medicine in some dangerous occasions. Isn't it?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jan 16
It would probably help slow down the advance of the fire.
1 person likes this
@Shiva49 (28371)
• Singapore
11 Jan 16
It should indeed be traumatic for you. Hope the storms prove godsend to help put out the fires raging out of control. I remember reading about bushfires near Melbourne that caused even deaths few years back. Regarding how some people react, I recall my relatives detailing how much the army risked their own lives to help them during floods in Kashmir. It was an eye opener for them and also how the very poor were willing to share their ration of bread - siva
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381837)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Jan 16
Most people are very kind and generous when there is an emergency.
1 person likes this