25 years on........

Ruby

Ruby

Well today is the 25th anniversary of the Ash Wednesday bushfires……...this certainly is a country of extremes. Considering the flood dramas they are having in QLD at the moment.

To the families of the 75 people that died, my thoughts are with you. Possessions can be replaced, people can’t.

http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/DSE/nrenfoe.nsf/LinkView/FAAF080E6756F7904A25679300155B2B7157D5E68CDC2002CA256DAB0027ECA3

A terrible day, and hopefully we never have another one like it. Unfortunately memories fade, people move on and the lessons learnt are sometimes forgotten.

On a brighter note though……..Happy Birthday Bronte!! (Gobaby)
 
I remember it vividly. (amazing that I can't remember what I had for dinner this day last week).

I was driving along Doncaster rd the second night, it was around 9.30pm and dark, but very warm.

The sky was orange and there was ash falling on the windscreen like black fluffy snow, and everything smelled like burned leaves.
 
I recently had an employee who lost his mother to the Canberra bushfires.

I've had colleagues who lost their house, and, as devastating as that was, it was nothing compared to his lost.
 
Last edited:
My wife was not able to be picked up from school by her parents during the fires in the Adelaide hills in the 80s. She was reunited but not without a great deal of anxiety. I used to own a house in Bridegwater in the Adelaide Hills and it was quite old. All the other houses in the street were quite new. Ours must have survived. Many didn't. I now live in Crafers and have done everything I can to reduce risk, however I am ready to go, with 3 kids, wife, 2 dogs, 1 cat and the computer and the photos. The house I can rebuild, the lives I can't...........
It's the risk you take in a high risk bushfire area. You must have a plan. At the first CFS warnings, were'e gone...!
 
Hi there Geoff
in a sense the Canberra bushfires also brought on my mother's death.
She had been suffering from Cancer and was receiving treatment at the time. I was visiting my parents with my 2 daughters at the time of the fires. The only reason we weren't in the house when the fires went through was because we were visiting her in hospital.
The loss of her home and her possessions exacerbated her illness and the stress did not help - with having to deal with insurance companies etc. She passed away 6 months after the fires.
We also lost 2 properties in those fires - and I still remember talking to my tenant about how her 11 year old boy had to hold the garage door up - so they could get their car out to get away - and have a fireball come straight for him. I was so glad I didn't have to make a run for it like they did. Her husband was fighting the fires at the time - and the not knowing where people are - that would be extremely stressful.

Everytime I hear about another loss through bushfires - it brings those memories back - and we do what we can to ensure it doesn't happen again.
thanks
 
Last edited:
Fires are so dreadful.

Hubby's parent's house went under up to the tops of the windows in the Brisbane 1974 floods, but at least they had a house to come back to, even though it was a soggy mess.

We managed to salvage ALL their photos and personal documents, and of course all clothes, curtains etc could be washed. Even electrical appliances could be repaired, and many manufacturers offered free repair of appliances. Solid furniture was OK, chipboard was NOT.

But I feel so sorry for people burnt out, there is absolutely nothing left.

Even worse, life is usually more at risk in fires as they move so quickly. Flood deaths are usually far fewer in number.
Marg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top