Sounds like Jim is experiencing something few of us will in a lifetime. Prayers for you and yours Jim.
Rog
Absolutely horrifying. My prayers are with Jim and all involved with this.
Heard more about this on the radio. Very worried for you all down there.
Heard more about this on the radio. Very worried for you all down there.
I'm surprised how little I have heard on this... Had it not been posted on the forums, I wouldn't have a clue about any of this happening...
To give you some indication of the scale
About 6 million hectares burnt or Half of the north island of New Zealand .
The smoke is that bad we are coping it here in NZ
Our glaciers down south are a light brown color .
The sun sometimes just a red ball and today the sky in Auckland turned orange .
Stuff.co.nz. Has some articles
I heard the 1st about it on the news last night as it was mentioned Keith Urban & Nicole Kidman's house was under threat & they would be donating $500,000 to the Australian Fire Relief.
Has anyone heard from Jim?
His last update was 12 days ago and from what I have read the fires are getting worse.
Let’s all do a big Rain Dance!!!!!
Has anyone heard from Jim?
His last update was 12 days ago and from what I have read the fires are getting worse.
Let’s all do a big Rain Dance!!!!!
His last contact was with Gil on the 3rd
The following message came in overnight from Jim.
(Text message)
Got no words to describe what we have been through. We have so far defended our homes and put out all ember attacks. Conditions horrific, no power, no information with no phones. Jamie Tom Haylee Jemma James & Ruby all safe. All houses still standing. Cannot find the words to describe what has happened down here with the loss of houses and lives.
The following message came in overnight from Jim.
(Text message)
Got no words to describe what we have been through. We have so far defended our homes and put out all ember attacks. Conditions horrific, no power, no information with no phones. Jamie Tom Haylee Jemma James & Ruby all safe. All houses still standing. Cannot find the words to describe what has happened down here with the loss of houses and lives.
Charlie, I got this in a text 2 days ago. Gil
Edit: oops, Thank you, Nick!
Fresh messages just arrived from Jim.
Dear family & friends firstly let me say a big thank you for all your kindness and support. Some of you will follow more of what I write than those overseas but I am sending this out to all as we still don't have telecommunications and I get 1 bar on my phone maybe once or twice a day for a minute or two and receive a lot of messages from you. So I hope this message does reach you all. Can my model steam friends please pass this message on same as my photography friends to the boards, thanks. This is now day 7 with no power, land line phones, mobile phones, Internet. Sewers overflowing, rotten garbage left from the evacuations. Our only access to the outside world is an old 1970s transistor radio I dug out of my shed and had some batteries for it. Roads still closed and still cut off. Getting tough to live after a week without power. Radio says still possible a lot longer yet. But compared to all
longer yet. But compared to all those that lost everything they own except the clothes on their backs its nothing. New year's eve was indescribable the fire storm even though we had prepared ourselves was nothing that can be put in words, the flames, the heat, the smoke, the embers, the incredible noise it made. The wild animals on fire screaming, birds falling out of the sky. Around 90 houses completely gone. Three people know deceased. People drove their cars into the Lake to escape the flames and heat. Hundreds of cars have been incinerated. Aluminium boats melted like wax. We would have lost our three family homes if we hadn't stayed and defended. But it's taken a toll on our health and lungs. Saturday was a repeat of new year's eve. 47 degrees 80klm winds and ember attacks from the West, then the nor'east, then the south. The forests are burnt beyond devastation, everywhere we look is traumatic. Roads still closed and
Roads still closed and still cut off. For my o'seas friend January Lake Conjola swells from 300 permanent residents to around 5000 - 6000 with camping holiday makers. All of these people had to be evacuated by police in 50 car convoys to Nowra 80 klms to our north over a few days and nights but hwy being closed repeatedly most of these people sat frightened in their cars for up to 24 hours or more. To finish we are OK, house is full of Ash. Police escorted some trucks in yesterday with fresh food and water and has been passed out to the few residents remaining. Thank you all for your kind thoughts sent through. So very much appreciated, will contact you all sometime in the future when things are better.
Sounds like he has gone through hell and back
I will copy this to the down under forum
Jim, This report is a stunner.
You have all our support in getting through this catastrophe.
May God bless and keep you always and give you the strength to pull yourself and your family through safely.
Gil
I have also placed a link to this page in Steam It Up Downunder.
A trip to Cerberus and the Gates of Hell.
Just devastating.
Hard to imagine.
All we can do is offer prayers.
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Now it is worse in Lake Conjola where Jim is .
It was on the news tonight on TV
apparently they now have looters .
My opinion and solution for them is barely repeatable .
Now matter how bad things get there is always some lowlife putting the boot in .
Cheers
Dennis