Black Saturday fire storms

These are amazing photos from the February 2009 firestorms. Wish I could say I took them. But I didn't. They are copied from NowPublic online media.

(latest toll by 10:17 p.m. on Sunday...84 dead.)

If you were to look at a map of Australia, it could look as if the entire state of Victoria is in flames.

Such a map exists. On the Department of Sustainability and Environment's (DSE) website in Australia, little flames show active fires, stars show contained fires, and dots show "controlled" fires that are no longer endangering areas.

As of 12:45 p.m. today, there are 30 wildfires still going out of control, with nine started today...ranging in size from 1 acre to 186,000 acres. In addition, six wildfires have been recently contained, and 20 are controlled. That's just Victoria, not New South Wales where Sydney is located, or South Australia where Adelaide has suffered fires.

I am blessed where I live. There are no wildfires nearby, the closest is about 90 minutes away. I can't even smell smoke or see plumes on the horizon.

However, thousands of people haven't been so lucky.

Yesterday was the worst fire day since Ash Wednesday in February 1983 when more than 40 people died, hundreds of homes were lost and hundreds of thousands of acres burned.

One newscaster stated,"This is a worst case scenario...sort of like The Perfect Storm." In that movie, several unusual factors came into play that caused a horrendous storm that took several lives. In Australia's "perfect storm" several things were in place: the hottest, driest year in more than a century, and 80 mph HOT wind gusts and sustained winds from the HOT inland north that quickly dried areas out and pushed flames into roaring cauldrons skimming from tree to tree, with gum trees exploding all around. Stringy bark ignited and floated to unburnt areas where fires took root and raced along with the wind. At the end of the day, the "cool change" came through, and I watched the temperature drop from 110 F to 100 F in 10 minutes. Within an hour, the temperature was almost chilly. But along with the cool change was a wind-shift (as typically happens) that brought wind from the cooler south...only gusts were still strong, and shifted the blazes from going in one direction to unpredictable others.

Kinglake, and Marysville, towns north of Melbourne literally vanished in the blaze when the wind changed directions. At least six people fried alive while trying to escape in a car. As of this morning, the official death toll statewide is 25, with the worst in Wandong, Strathewen, and Clonbanine. But officials expect it to rise as high as 50 when rescuers can get into places that were unreachable before.

Local firefighters have been busy. They spent nearly all day at the fire station arranging strike teams and other crews. They are back there this morning arranging relief crews, and may either go out on one of those or go flying to spot check for other, newer fires.

When fire rages statewide, ABC radio (fondly called the "Auntie") which is Australia's premier station for news, broadcasts 'round-the-clock updates and warnings for people to flee areas when needed. I can't tell you how many times this morning I heard a broadcaster say, "increased fire activity" in this area or another, and, "residents should have their emergency gear ready," and, "the fire is expected to reach (some location) within two hours."

Although so far, today's weather is much better, it's cool (65 degrees at noon), there's no wind (it's expected to pick up again after mid-day) and we've had a two-hour thunderstorm with sporadic bursts of rain, crews are on high alert because not everywhere got moisture, and lightning also came with the narrow band of weather. Lightning strikes often smoulder for days before bursting into flame.

But hearing the sound of rain drumming on the roof for an hour this morning was nice.

It's the first precipitation we've had in seven weeks. I was also relieved a bit because it dampened the areas around where we live, and I wonder what would happen if one roared toward here. I live a few minutes from a state forest full of wildfire fuel. I "know" what to do, but I need to practice turning on the generator and using hoses again. I would be one of those who stay and fight it out.

So...yes, it's as bad and likely worse than you've probably seen on television and in newspapers. But where I live, we're safe.

For now.