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The day Durranbah burned

Forestwood

The sobering reality that many Australians face – the ravages of bushfire are a hint of the future of this planet if climate change is not arrested. Urgent action is required. Thanks to Bushboy for this post. I am crying too.

bushboys world

It has taken me a bit of time to compile and write. This is a long read so I hope you can get to the end. I realise that you probably are wondering what is Duranbah? Here is the front gate to Durranbah which is the name of my property.
180424_blog challenge_which way_home gate
When you drive down my road here is the sign that greets you to let you know you are at your destination.IMG_2114

Let me take you back a while. OK to go back around three years when the last of the big rains happened. These rains are quite the norm for here. You can set you calendar by the storm season. Come October the dry season breaks and the rains commence and continue until March to May and sometimes June can have a wet year.

Back then the lack of rain three years ago wasn’t such a big thing. We…

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Published by Forestwood

A philosophic Aussie writes here at StPA, one who will readily admit to loving Scandinavia. I'm interested in global politics and what drives us to be who we are. Scratch the surface and you'll find a practical Environmentalist with an egalitarian bent, trying to unleash a little creativity via the written word. Scandinavian culture, literature and traditions are close to my heart, even though I'm Australian. Travel and courteous discussions greatly broaden the mind, so I travel if I can and am always up for a vigorous, respectful discussion. I'm an avid reader, a writer and I enjoy photography and crafts, particularly traditional art forms. I hope you'll find 'Something to Ponder About,' in my WordPress Community.

44 thoughts on “The day Durranbah burned”

  1. What a horrible and unbelievably sad situation. I couldn’t even begin to image losing anything due to the massive fires.

    I’m originally from California in the US and the state in fall of 2018 seemed literally on fire. Forests and towns lost to fire. Even parts of cities burned down. For a full month smoked covered areas I lived where I’ve never witnessed anything like it. And I was far from any fires.

    It’s heartbreaking to see the huge flames engulf plants, trees and homes. Yet until you hear a story first hand you don’t get the full magnitude of what is truly going on. People don’t just lose their livelihoods or buildings on their properties, which is horrifying in itself – they lose life sometimes and sometimes the will to go on.

    Thank you for sharing this story.

    ~Allison

    Liked by 2 people

    1. You can relate, Allison. This had been going on since September. The fire crews are exhausted. And still it didn’t stop. Then there is the toll on the mental health of the individuals and the loss of biodiversity that is sometimes irreparable. Rain is the only solution atm.

      Liked by 2 people

  3. Oh my goodness this is heartbreaking. I’m from Canada and we dont have fires in my province, luckily, so this kind of devastation is just so hard for me to wrap my head around. Losing a home and land and three years with no good rain?! That’s just awful

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Some days it feels like the reports are so overwhelming, the situation so hopeless, it rips out one’s heart and I am not even directly affected. I can only imagine the feelings and struggles bushboy and others are going through. And Bushboy is lucky – his home was saved thanks to the incredible efforts of the fire crews. They need support. 😢😢

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      2. Finally the P.M. is talking about buying more water bombing planes! Too little too late for some, but hopefully not for others. Have you notice the climate changing in Canada, Michael?

        Liked by 1 person

      3. I hope they do get more water bombing planes! They seem very needed! The climate change has been very noticed up here. I’ve been lucky to avoid it, but there has been flooding and our winters have changed so much! Normally they were steady and snow could be expected from said to said dates, but now it melts randomly and then drops to desperately cold within a day or two! We are lucky to have lots of environmental activism and awareness in my province, but it’s not there yet on a federal level.

        Liked by 1 person

      4. But how long will it take to get those planes and if the crisis ever passes, people will forget and money will be re-allocated?
        It is good to hear that there are more voices of environmental awareness coming through. I hope that continues to grow. The melting snow is indicative of warming temps and fluctuations. More wild weather of all kinds is a feature of climate change. The oceans are getting warmer and warmer – and the fluctuations in the temperature gradient driving climate changes. I wonder how the marine life is affected by the temperature changes in the oceans?

        Liked by 1 person

      5. I’ve heard the marine life is being devastated… it’s horrible! And yes, if we don’t keep up the pressure, the governments will quickly forget and move on! We need good activists to keep up the pressure and keep things moving.

        Liked by 1 person

  4. I and several blogging friends are extremely anxious for a beloved blogging friend who is currently in the frontline and may well end up living on the beach. How can this be happening in a wealthy country?

    Liked by 1 person

  7. That was quite the read. It’s heartbreaking. We lived that in 2002 with one of the most massive fires in the Arizona mountains. We were evacuated for 10 days but were very lucky as our home still stood. A lot of others were not. Large sections of forests burned and Elk ran for safety. Breathing that air is never good for the lungs. I have another blogging friend in northern Queensland who sent me a map of all the burns going on. It’s enough to make one very fearful for the entire continent as well as the planet. California has been burning a lot the last 3 years. My stepchildren said the fire came to the edge of the house but firefighters were able to save the house though not a trailer. We had some bad fires here 2 years ago. Scary. Trailers go up like matchsticks so I was ready. Lightning scares me too because it can do so much damage. I’m saying lots of prayers for your country.

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      2. An accurate description. And unfortunately, our P.M. believes in evangelical miracles and that is the only course of action he is willing to take. Pray for a miracle. The idiot.

        Liked by 2 people

      4. I want factoring that in. That folks don’t believe science! They would be difficult to convince. I suppose they are similar to the victims at the Jonestown massacre? Blind faith without questioning can be very dangerous.

        Liked by 1 person

      6. Australia has always been a land of many sheep! And many of those sheep idolize the American ram and think they should follow its path.
        I suppose it takes all kinds to make a society. But do we have to have so many woolly heads? I used to think Trump was the President America had to have, but I would not have wished his policies on anyone.

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      8. Keep hanging on. The dark clouds like everthing will pass. Nero had his day so will Trump and our P.M. – then we can re-build from the ashes…. No pun intended.

        Liked by 1 person

  8. We’re keeping up with the calamity here in the U.S. I understand from news reports that P.M. Morrison has been getting an unpleasant earful from impacted residents. That he went on vacation in the midst of this crisis surely didn’t help his approval rating.

    Former U.S. President George W. Bush received the same degree of vitriol with Hurricane Katrina more than 14 years ago. As the storm descended upon the American Gulf Coast region, he remained at his Texas ranch on his usual month-long vacation. At the same time, Vice-President Dick Cheney jetted off to his native Wyoming for a hunting trip; something I thought was not only disallowed, per the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, but was in extremely poor taste. But it showed the level of disdain the Bush – Cheney regime had for the average American.

    Whether they like it or not, elected officials have to respond to national emergencies, which obviously include natural disasters. For what it’s worth coming from me a hemisphere away, Amanda, I wish the best for you and your fellow Australians in that brutal summer. Hopefully, a mild-mannered tropical storm system will make its way onto the continent and obliterate as many of those fires as possible.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thank you for your kind thoughts and wishes, Alejandro. We are safer up here because we tend to get the tropical storms, but even those are few and far in between. Down south in the most severely affected fire areas, their climate is more temperate so they tend to have dry summers and wet winters. But as the earth warms, perhaps they might see a storm or two. Let us hope so.
      Re the Policial leaders. An election is years away unfortunately, and people tend to have a short memory. I do hope they remember their leader’s arrogance when they vote. But in two years time, will their be any bush and any koalas left to save…..

      Liked by 1 person

  10. Thank you Amanda for letting people know of my story. My tears are real and reading this has set me off again. Thank you to everyone for your support.
    Brian

    Liked by 2 people

    1. It is a good way to release tension, Brian and one step along the way to heal. There are a lot of folks crying along with you. You have our full support. As I said, Keep writing. It will help.

      Liked by 2 people

  11. It is so heartbreaking. We are spared such fires most summers but a few years ago there were a big forrest fire 200 km from were I live. Devastating as it was, it is still nothing compared to the fires that burnes in Australia.

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      1. It was mostly forrest that burned and 25 buildings was destroyed Thankfully only one casualty. Compared to the fires in Australia it was a small fire, but still devastating for the people living in the area. The weather situation at the time was similar, dry, warm and windy, although in Sweden high temperature means it is around 30 C.
        The reports from Australia are terrifying. Really hope that the weather will change and bring a lot of rain and some release for everyone involved.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. We so do too, but each day the conditions are worse. Tonight there is a southerly change coming through bringing wind gusts of 130km/h. More homes and animals will be lost.

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  12. Thank you for sharing Brian’s post, it breaks my heart. Although I am fully aware of what is going on, reading a personal account like this makes the situation really come alive for you. We are having way too much rain over here, I hope it heads your way and the sky opens.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, Suvi. I agree about Brian’s post and that is kjust one of the reasons why I re-blogged it. I also hope to raise awareness of the mental toll on the residents affected.
      It is a shame nature is struggling to balance itself out. We do what we can in our little piece of the world and like Brian, keep writing.

      Liked by 1 person

  13. The entire catastrophe makes my heart ache. These horrible events are occurring too often and if they do not awaken global cooperation than what. Thankfully, action is happening not by governments, but by individuals and that will continue to put pressure where it must go: corporations and governments and world leaders.

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