There are no words

Pray for my brother, his family  and all families in Melbourne.

I will never complain of being cold again

Latest message:

The toll is now 173 from Saturdays fires. The most amazing thing is when you see the pictures while the fires are still raging and changing direction without notice and townships are still under threat. The advice to people is: Be dressed in long natural clothing head to toe with glasses. If the fire and smoke is in your street or area it is too late. The safest place to be is in your home. Don’t expect any warning.

Don’t expect any help. You are on your own

The final number of deaths for Saturday fires are now closed, 72 still missing (hopefully some will come home) as of 2.30 am this morning(Tuesday 10th Feb 09 local to him).

19 thoughts on “There are no words

  1. d@\/e

    I saw Kevin Rudd, the Australian Prime Minister on TV earlier and he was lost for words too. Our thoughts and prayers are with your brother, his family and the people of Melbourne now.

    Reply
  2. Nancy

    Dear Grannymar,

    Your brother and his family and all the other victims of the fires are in our thoughts and prayers.

    I also saw Prime Minister Rudd on TV and he had a look of desperation about him.

    Pray this comes to an end soon…

    Reply
  3. Baino

    Grannymar where is he? The fires are well in the country but I believe inching towards the burbs. Yea is the latest town to be threatened and Healsville is on alert. Both are over 2 hours from the CBD so if he’s in the city, he’ll be fine. Fortunately, it’s been cool and some rain overnight. Containment lines are being drawn and the whole country is rallying around those in need. Unfortunately, more hot weather is on the way next week according to the Bureau of Meteorology. I just hope they catch the bastards (yes there were more than one) who lit these monsters.

    Reply
  4. grannymar

    Thanks folks.

    Little brother is safe at the moment. Thankfully he is on the edge of the burbs in the airport direction. It is scary to think there was a fire 40 klms from him at the weekend. He talked of the sky changing from bright blue to a brown/orange fog in a very short time.

    I could hear the smoke in his voice. You would think he had spent a week locked in a room of cigarette smokers. After 30 years of living in Melbourne he knows about these fires. In the past he assisted as a volunteer fireman. Perhaps a feeling of helplessness is invading his mood.

    He is working away – from home when he has the power – it was on a rotation basis last week. Being in the haulage business, keeping trucks on the roads is his headache. Right now one of his priorities is shipping emergency supplies to areas affected by the floods.

    Reply
  5. whoopsadaisy

    God that is so scary and chilling to be told if you see fire in your street ‘it is too late’ and also that ‘you are on your own’.

    How awful for those who have died and/or are missing loved ones, my thoughts are with them all right now x

    Reply
  6. grannymar

    whoopsadaisy,

    Those two points were the reason I posted about the fires. I though it would bring home the reality of life to us, more than a long post or hourly news bulletins.

    Reply
  7. Magpie11

    I can’t take it in really..I see the pictures, look at the maps and listen to the reports and still can’t take it in it seems so unreal…and I saw a forest fire years ago up in the NWT in Canada.

    Reply
  8. Darlene

    It is just terrible. It is awful to be in the midst of such a catastrophe and awful to feel helpless on the other side of the world. I am sending good thoughts your way and for your brother.

    Reply
  9. Grannymar Post author

    Thank you Darlene for the good thoughts.

    Can you check your URL/blog address it is not working from this end. There may be a (dot) missing or in the wrong place as you have it typed in the line above the comment box.

    Reply
  10. Grannymar Post author

    Darlene,

    No problem, we all make that mistake at some time. At least now my readers can link back to you properly.

    Reply
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