4th January 2020

It’s several days since I updated my blog with what is happening with the fires which are ravaging Australia, and us in the Shoalhaven.

The situation escalated very fast on New Years Eve.   We were warned that the southerly change (which would normally be welcome) would make matters worse, as the fires are now so big, that they are creating their own weather patterns – including thunder storms which in turn create lightning which creates more fires.  Temperatures soared to 47 degrees in Nowra, but thankfully, us here on the river have a cool breeze, and our temperatures were 10 degrees cooler.

Australia has lost 12 million acres of land, many lives, and many unaccounted for, countless properties, and half a billion animals, insects and birds.   Yesterday 800 electricity poles in the south coast alone have been burnt, and thousands are without power.  Supermarkets have been closed, as perishables have spoiled, thousands have been without food and water, and on New Years Eve, 4,000 people sought sanctuary on the beach at Mallacoota, with several people taking boats out to a nearby island for safety.  Yesterday, the Navy brought in ships and have been evacuating thousands of people and their pets. 

The Princess Highway has been closed for days, as the danger of trees falling on vehicles has been too great.  On Thursday morning, 2nd January, a State of Emergency was declared, giving the Rural Fire Service Chief the power to close roads, buildings, and make decisions regarding the safety of the community. They asked any visitors – of whom there are thousands, as the South Coast is a very popular Christmas holiday destination – to leave.   And anybody who did not need to be there to return home, as our resources like water, hospitals, and firies protecting people are already stretched to the limit.   As amazing as it seems, people were still arriving for a holiday!  Don’t people listen to the news???   They strongly advised people to leave and they opened the road north of Milton, and  thousands took to the road heading north to Nowra, Wollongong, and Sydney. I hit the road too, but fortunately, missed the kilometres of traffic, as I left early – and I took our dogs, Cino and Clover to our friends, Barbara and Les Banner, in Lane Cove in Sydney.   They are dear old friends, who love Cino, but this was the first time they met our new little rescue doggie, Clover – and they fell in love with her, as I knew they would.  Their love and generosity towards us is a blessing and we are so very grateful.  Barbara took Clover to visit the elderly women in her local nursing home, volunteer work she does weekly, and Clover took on the role of Visiting Companion Animal very seriously – she was joyously welcomed, and passed from lap to lap.  Even if you are evacuated to safety – you can make a difference!   I spent the night there with these good people - and slept like a log, something which has eluded me for a couple of weeks. 

It has become increasingly tense, increasingly frightening, and increasingly dangerous.   Everybody is on edge.   Tempers are fraying, on the Shoalhaven Heads Community and the Berry Community Face Book pages, people argued about whether or not the New Years Eve fireworks should proceed.  I posted that I believed to do so would be irresponsible, and disrespectful of our firies, who are putting life and limb on the line to protect us, and our properties, and to the people who have died.  Most agreed, yet others accused us of being ‘Greenies’ and ‘wowsers’.   Berry and Huskisson cancelled, as their showgrounds (the venue for the fireworks) have been turned into evacuation centres and are filled with people, cows, sheep, dogs, cats, trailers, caravans and boats.  At the final hour, the Shoalhaven Heads event was cancelled, due to lack of resources (ie all our firies are out doing essential work.  Arborists are stretched to the limit, working with the RFS to ensure it is safe to open roads, that the trees are strong enough to allow twenty and thirty cars at a time out of dangerous areas.

Its astonishing to me also, to receive several phone calls from friends around Australia, at leaset up until two days ago, who appear to be quite unaware of the threat we are facing.  “Heard that there are fires close to you.  Are you OK?” Don’t people watch the news?  Listen to the ABC?  (A lifeline of information).   Yet friends from USA, Holland, Africa, Ireland, and England are sending well informed messages of what they are seeing, and lots of love and luck to us.

Gerald has been on the roof attempting to block our gutters and fill them with water, he bought several caps and necessary materials to do so – only to discover our gutters are ‘old’ and unable to be capped.   We’ve cleared branches, and leaves, and undergrowth from our gardens.  Gerald has watered and dampened bushes and plants.  It is ‘unlikely’ that the fire will reach us here, although it has already crossed the river in North Nowra, and residents have been told it is too late to leave.   Residents of Strongs Road, where we built our glorious Yellow Dog Farm have evacuated, Sue and Ross and Sam, plus Paula, Robyn and Kath have also evacuated Bundewallah Road, along with most of the other residents. 

We’ve repacked out suitcase, and packed it in the car.   We have torches and batteries and a radio ready, we’ve filled our cars with petrol, we have long life milk and tinned food in the pantry if we lose power and cannot cook, if the gas bottles explode. We have woollen blankets and piles of towels ready to wet things down if we have to.   Gerald has filled the spa to the brim with water, and we have buckets and bowls ready to fill if necessary.  I have filled several large pots of water in the kitchen, and have a fire blanket and a fire retardant spray ready.  We have sturdy boots and woollen clothing ready to wear, goggles and woollen hats and gloves. 

The fires are out of control, and the firies cannot stop them – we have firefighters here from the USA, Canada, and Queensland.   They burn underground, peat fires, which cannot be seen, and then they burst into flame.  A man on radio today who lost his property described it thus:

“I had two Exit Plans.  The first fell apart in ten seconds, as I thought I would just run to the river and the grass there would not burn.  It did, with such speed I could not believe it.  The second fell apart too, as the fire roared in like an express train, burning the GROUND, burning  the AIR, it was a fireball and as though there was flammable gas in front of it being lit with a torch.   Our property EXPLODED in front of me.”

We have Illawarra ABC 97.3 on constantly, the news deteriorates by the minute.   If the two huge fires merge, that will be a total disaster.   Glenn and Mira who live next door, and were neighbours in Strongs Road, are pretty calm.  Glenn is a firie, and we will be guided by them about what to do, he is about to come home and Mira has gone to buy food in Berry for dinner.   He, like all the others, is working so hard, such long, long hours, and are exhausted. 

Joshua calls regularly, we speak to him more frequently when he is in the USA than we do when he is in Sydney! – and is watching the fires very closely.  But its difficult to impart the sense of dread, the fear, the constant vigilance, the building fear of what is actually happening here.   The atmosphere crackles with it.  I told him that if the absolute worst happened and his Dad and I died in a fire together, for us, it would be an okay way to end our lives together – but I knew it would be horrible for him and those who loved us.   He responded swiftly, and angrily, saying “Mum!   Don’t be so MELODRAMATIC!”   But it happens, and I want you to know that if that did happen, we have had happy, successful, loving lives, and dying together would be, for us both, a gift and a blessing.

The southerly will come through about 8 pm tonight, and bringing with it a whole new set of challenges.  The ground has longer to warm up before the pyrohumous (?) clouds create havoc with the environment.   Tonight is predicted to be disastrous.

I shall end this now, and write more tomorrow.  Blessings to you, our Son and our friends and loved ones.  I’ve done no editing, just so you know!

5 pm Saturday, 4th January 2019.  From The River House, Shoalhaven Heads.

Sandra and Gerald Groom