Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Darker than Black Friday!

This is a photo I took when we went for a drive Sunday afternoon, heading into the Yarra Glen township where we live. The whole town was surrounded and we were blocked in on Saturday and just had to wait to see what the fires were going to do.


Well, we are thankfully all ok. We haven't lost anything in the fires, although they ended 200 metres from our house, some friends have lost everything.

I am just in tears thinking about them and all the families up the road in Kinglake who has lost their possessions as well as friends and loved ones to this tragedy.

At the moment of us being told to evacuate on Saturday, a guy rolled his car into a ditch out the front of our house and it started a grass fire. So we totally *forgot* what we were doing and ran over to help. By the time that was all under control, the CFA and police told us that it was too late, the town is surrounded and there is no way out. They had blocked/closed all the roads out of here. They said it was actually safer to stay with our homes and fight.

These fires are like nothing I have ever seen before. They just moved that fast and alot of the burnt out areas around us, the tops of the trees are green, where the bottom is black. It went through at such speed, that I am surprised that we are safe and that anyone came out of it unscathed. It was ferocious. It whistled and roared like you wouldn't believe.

I have never been so scared in my life. We were watching it come down the mountain and the paddocks. Thankfully it was stopped before it caught any houses on our street. Unfortunately, many homes further down were lost and 8 lives were taken. We are still trying and waiting to hear from friends. Where some of the friends we have had contact with have lost everything.


It is just so devastating.

If my house was bigger, I'd offer some rooms and beds. But as it is, we have a child in 2 rooms and Montana in with us. We just don't have the room.

But I am donating some baby equipment and clothes and when they are ready to rebuild the community, I will go and help with whatever I can. I can help plant some trees or help clean up. I will feel so much better if I can do something.

I am praying for all those affected.
I love my family, but right now, I love them so much more.


Til next time.......


Bec

1 comment:

Kathie said...

oh bec, my heart just goes out to you. The lady for the scrapping DT has her stuff at her mums, she only lost that stuff, her mum lost everything in the fires. They are from Heathcote Junction. We are running a fundraiser this Friday night. Scrapping pages to give those who have lost everything! This disaster has touched out lives and our hearts, it has motavated us beyond anything in our wildest dreams! I pray that you don't have any ongoing problems related to the fires. Take care. Chat soon
Kathie
xoxo

LinkWithin

Related Posts Widget for Blogs by LinkWithin