Fires

[kevrenor]

I know some of you will be right in the areas affected so best wishes people - hope everything ends up OK for you and yours!

This is what is on Skynews (at 6:30pm):

"Three homes have been destroyed by a bushfire near Woy Woy on the New South Wales Central Coast. One of the homes has been gutted in Woy Woy Bay road with the fire now heading towards Pearl Beach as temperatures soar past 40 degrees. Residents there and in Pheagans Bay, Horsefield Bay and Umina west have been evacuated. There are currently seven major blazes burning in the Gosford area, north of Sydney. The fire has also destroyed 7 cars belonging to Rural Fire Service volunteers who were out battling another blaze at the time. Four helicopters and about 30 fire tankers from the Rural Fire Service and New South Wales Fire Brigades have been deployed along with all available crews. A second fire at Mount White has closed the F-3 freeway while another blaze is burning near the Australian Reptile Park."

My daughter is at Woy Woy at present and heading back to Umina ... reports thick smoke, and fire engines heading toward Pearl Beach.

It reached 42.2 here today - about 112 F in the old scale! Only once have I been in higher temperatures and that was out in the mallee.

[Nah.]

i heard 46 degrees *pphhht* either way, its furcking hot, s'cuse my language but there is no other way to put it.
My dad is down in sydney, and needs to get home, said he would go through wisemans ferry or soemthign liek that, shortly after he rang i heard on the radio that wisemans could possibly be closed.
the winds this morning probably didnt help either, flames 30m it just said on 2GO, free way has opened southbound.
Every tiem the freeway get closed due to fires, ironically my father is probably the only person who has been stuck at the wrong end each time.
I hope the reptile park is okay, my house backs onto the block where it was previously, now its Worrel park, we could always hear the dingoes howlign from our house.

[Adz]

rta.nsw.gov.au/trafficreports/cameras/f3.html

looks like its open in both directions now

[kevrenor]

adz said:

rta.nsw.gov.au/trafficreports/cameras/f3.html

looks like its open in both directions now

Only for those cars trapped on it - they are expecting the southerly later this evening to push fire back onto it! We've told our daughter to stay put.

[Nah.]

i dont understand how people can go around lighting these fires, people get killed, they loose family friends and their homes. How can you do that, knowing whats going to happen, and still do it?
Gee that last scentence sounds wierd.

[Farthing]

Yea the fires have been going for a long time, i could see all the smoke from about 1pm. it is just too hot, i didnt expect it to be this hot today.

[kevrenor]

The southerly change has just reached Epping and should be at Mt White and Patonga in half an hour! The wind will be fairly gusty, with gusts to over 60km/h, or more over the water. The wind is a worry! The good part - at Bellambi down at the 'gong the temp dropped 15C in 20 mins.

Good luck, particularly those at Kariong!

[Fish]

Hey this is great weather I mowed the lawn today.Seriously to lose your home would be devastating and to those that have been involved in the protection thank you you guys are worth millions and you do it for free

[Sam]

The peninsula is a mess at the moment, I live in Woy Woy and theres been sirens going off all day and choppers. Horrible Horrible start to the new year. What sort of a c@#t would start these sort of things....pardon the languague but only word that sums them up. Few friends have been evacuated over here, scary times

[brett]

Gusts coming through here now at 100km/h, more bad news to follow in my opinion.

My sister lives at Kariong, we're preparing to head up there and help if need be.

[Bearinator]

For those of u who live near bush and dont have contents insurance, BLOODY GET IT. For your own good. It dont cost that much, and what price can u really put on all your possessions???

[Farthing]

Yea the wind is crazy, it the strongest i have seen the wind in a long time. its not a good start to the new year, a 45 degree day, fires, and then this strong wind.

[Farthing]

I live in sara and i can see the flames from our deck

[omni]

Have a friend who is up there - I did some RFS courses and they're tough work so the guys doing it are very very well trained. Big shame about the lost houses and the cars, that's sad.

Hope KJ & Eric are OK Chris, tried to SMS Eric but got nothing back.

[blackadder]

Hope all up on the coast and peninsula are safe, my thoughts and best wishes for all

[brett]

bearinator said:

and what price can u really put on all your possessions???

Me personally? Probably about $280. ;D

[Sam]

Hahaha nice WT! Fires look to be out over here on the peninsula as it is raining on and off with hardly any wind....good to see

[voice of reason]

The St.John's volunteer who died, Mike Rozier, was a regular at Pluim Park and other football venues. No doubt he will be missed by many, and I wonder if they will able to replace such a willing volunteer.

[RECKY]

Mike Rozier calmed my young fella down when he broke his ankle during the semi's at pluim in 2003, man was a deadset legend RIP big fella

[omni]

It's a massive shame when someone so huge in the community dies, especially the quieet achievers who just go about their work not expecting any reward, to die tryig to help people is such a selfless thing to do.

RIP Mike