To anyone who is in Victoria and has been affected by the bushfires, I am so sorry for what you're all going through over there.

For anyone who is unaware of what's happening (I couldn't find any other posts about it, so if I'm doubling up, I apologise ), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Victorian_bushfires has basic info.

There are also updates on the fires at http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/bushfires/ and http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/incidents/vbil.htm.

I really hope everyone is staying safe.

Will

I'll second that sentiment. It really is a terrible tragedy. 

Mina.

Honestly, it's been terrifying.
My dad and sister made it out of Kinglake thirty minutes before the fires hit.
A friend of our family lost his brother and his brother's boyfriend in the fires. I was reading through the memorials in todays paper and came across his and his partner's names. Theirs was the shortest, with no photo. My mother told me that's because they're gay, and their family rejected them. So there was no one to supply personal information. I cried. I've been crying a lot about this.

It's terrifying, because if the arsonists were to set a fire in our area there would be no stopping it. The air was thick with smoke today and the sunlight has been orange for days. I know my mother would want to leave the house if the fires hit, but we've been renovating the house to sell and part of the money left over was going to be a loan from her for srs and ffs. If fires started here I don't think I could leave the property. I'd stay to protect the house. That's the scariest of all.

Our forest is safe for the moment. We're all crossing our fingers.

-Birdie

Hugs sweetie. I hope that the worst is over and that you and your family are spared this terrible tragedy. My thoughts are with you sweetie.

And condolences on the loss of your friend's brother and his partner. That's awful.

Mina.

Sh#t, Birdie, I'm so sorry! Kinglake, bloody hell. That's so horrible, though so wonderful that your dad and sister made it out in time, I'm so happy for you that they survived, though sorry for your friend's brother and his boyfriend. At least they may have been together.

I know I'm nowhere near it and have no personal first-hand experience of it, but seriously, while it may be your house and there's so much depending on it, you can always rebuild a house and financial life. Really, easy as it is to say from a distance, save yourselves, you're far, far more important. I work with the news, and I've been doing the stories every night for the past week to the point where I dream about bushfires and death all night. I've written about the children who've died or lost parents. It's really not worth it, love.

Sorry for the lecture, you've undoubtedly heard it all many times before. Please, Birdie, just stay safe.

♥♥♥ Will

On the other side of the ocean, here in California, we know something about these fires ourselves.  And all I can say is, if its coming at that house, get the hell out of there, you can rebuilt a house, you can not come back from the dead and these fires are deadly.  Every year we have that happen, every year people die in the path.  If you've never been near one, its not like any fire you've ever seen, they are driven by superheated thermal winds and are almost explosive.  Please do not stay, if the authorities tell you to get out, do it.  From one fire person to another.