Australia burning —Brian from Bushboy’s World wants to see the last photo on your SD card.  Here’s mine, taken at 6.30am this morning from my back window.

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I wonder how anything could survive outside in that smoke.

A few days ago, Canberra had the poorest air quality of any city in the world.  In parts of the city, the Air Quality Index was over 7000 (using some American measurement).  In my own part of town, the air quality measured only 5000 (whatevers).  The hazardous rating kicks in at 200.  There was a report that an elderly woman died of respiratory distress on the tarmac of Canberra airport when she disembarked.  This report has not been contradicted.  I have no words for this horror and my heart goes out to her family.

Yesterday, Canberra had its hottest day on record at 44ªc.  Penrith, located in Sydney’s outer west had a top temperature of 48.9ºc.  Then in the evening, the smoke rolled in again from huge fires in the south east and south-west.  The air purifier I ordered has been dispatched, but when it will be delivered is anyone’s guess.  Mail and parcel deliveries have been suspended until it is safe for postal workers and couriers to work.

We are not even in the fire zone.  Not yet.  There is one thing upon which the PM and I agree.  These fires are going to burn for weeks.  Of the other horrors, I cannot speak.

Just think about it, ladies and gentlemen.  If your version of this climate-change hell hasn’t arrived yet, you may want to get ready.  You may want to tell your leaders “enough”.  You may want to tell your leaders to tell our leaders that too.

Oh yes, my son did his shift in the bakery yesterday.  44ªc plus, plus, plus in there.  Almost like being in a fire, but not quite.

Kind Regards.
Tracy.

26 thoughts on “G’day”

  2. As a Southern Californian, I can really relate to this — the fear, the destruction, the losses, the angst caused by poor air quality are all a part of a bad fire season. Yours are worse than any we have seen, although the fires in Northern California last year were also pretty devastating. Yes — it is all a part of the climate change we are experiencing and will experience in the future — but our “leader” tells us it’s just “weather!” My thoughts are with you daily on this — my best to you! Janet

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    1. Janet, are your leaders expecting the “weather” to get more extreme? If not, then that does not auger well. This is an opportunity to learn from our mistake. Our economy is trashed. Precious and unique ecosystems lost.
      We should have a day or so to get ready again for the next onslaught.

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  4. My Mum and I have been waking every morning and turning on the ABC to see what is happening. We have our fires here in the West, the Norseman fire has been burning for a week (I think), our “leader” has been found wanting on so many levels and I am in despair that the pollies still will not accept that a lot of what is happening is driven by humanity. The two words “wealth” and “growth”make me retch and yet they seem to be more important than anything else to the powers-that-be.
    Look after yourself Tracy, hang onto the Love of Your Life and know we Perthites are sending you all hugs xxx

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    1. Thank you, Jenny. We are often told in the media and politicians that the West is a mining state, but there is so much more to it and its people, and I’ve found many like-minded people from the West.
      I hear there is a cyclone coming your way, as well. I hope it puts those fires out. The WA fires always seem terrifying to me in the speed in which they move.
      It is a bit calmer today which will help the fire fighting efforts. However, there are just so many. Too many to get on top of.

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  5. I can’t bear the fauna videos at the moment, too distressing even for me. I just wish the politicians at every level would come together on this.

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    1. One of my friends said that too. My response was basically suck it up. Not in those words though. I apologised. I told her I would be at my PC best on my blog though. I find it so distressing too and don’t look, but don’t you think people need to be horrified? I’m horrified when I see those poor emaciated polar bears too. I could curl up in a little ball.
      How good are those wildlife carers? I’m totally useless in a crisis. I would get down on my knees and beg if I thought it would change their position. In fact, maybe that is what we should be doing en masse.

      Sorry for hysterical rant. The fires are getting closer. There’s a lot of grief about the fires in our Snowy Mountains again and our beloved Namadgi National Park. And in the Stirling Ranges. What makes it worse is that the number of refuges left is diminishing day by day.

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      3. It would be hard to offend when we’re on the same page and simply expressing feelings, I do appreciate your integrity. The thinks that offend me are legend in the family: Trump, LNP, politicians in general, climate change deniers, censorship, Dixie jazz, Murdoch et al, coal mining, war, after that we’re pretty right 🙂

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    1. The temperatures are certainly creeping up, Amy. Each degree increase in temperature makes a big difference to the ferocity of fires in both our countries. Even lush, beautiful New Zealand is considered more flammable. We will be keeping safe here.

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