Dales ravings thread

[Unorthodox]

How's your insurance, as you need to be concerned with smoke damage even if the fire stays away, I would think. 

[Dale]

Uno:
Insurance is fine.  Also, the Govt usually covers part of the costs of repairs/rebuilding in bushfires.

Geo:
This photo shows how bushy it is around our area.  That is our front fence.  We would've been in trouble if the fire had come directly our way.

[Unorthodox]

SO where'd you evacuate to?  Any update? 

We were looking at having to evacuate a couple years ago, but the winds changed and blew the fire away.  Still a potential threat as the mountain behind us really isn't good fire-fighting terrain. 

[Geo]

I see.
How long would the risk last? Another 3 months or so?

[Dale]

We put our evac kit in the car (important stuff we'd need if things got bad) and the kids and the missus headed off to her sisters (our meeting place) about 15 minute drive away.  I hung around, closed everything up, secured everything then grabbed the animals in my car and headed to the same place.

The fire is out now, we had rain that evening which allowed the fire trucks to get it under control.  Some minor damage to a couple of homes (not in our area) and a timber yard burnt out.

[Unorthodox]

Only a 15 minute drive?  sounds like you could need to evac from THERE as well if it was big enough? 

Glad everything's ok.  Note to self, don't travel to Aussieland during fire season...(my lungs don't handle smoke well) 

[Rusty Edge]

Okay. This raises a new question about the "gum"/eucalyptus trees. I can see why they are such a fire problem- the droughts wither the leaves to something like paper so that they ignite quickly and easily, and then their massive size and all of that oil make them burn really hot.

What's the smoke like? Is it toxic? Does it open your sinuses? Or doesn't it smell any different than other burning wood. Does it do a better job of keeping the mosquitoes away in a campfire?

[Dale]

Only a 15 minute drive?  sounds like you could need to evac from THERE as well if it was big enough? 

Glad everything's ok.  Note to self, don't travel to Aussieland during fire season...(my lungs don't handle smoke well)

Yeah it may have been a short drive, but totally safe in this instance. 

Okay. This raises a new question about the "gum"/eucalyptus trees. I can see why they are such a fire problem- the droughts wither the leaves to something like paper so that they ignite quickly and easily, and then their massive size and all of that oil make them burn really hot.

What's the smoke like? Is it toxic? Does it open your sinuses? Or doesn't it smell any different than other burning wood. Does it do a better job of keeping the mosquitoes away in a campfire?

I don't really know TBH.  I would assume it's good for killing off mossies as like you say, we usually put some green gum leaves on the campfire to keep them away.

[Unorthodox]

Doesn't kill them off, really, just drives them off.  kinda species specific how well it works. 

[Geo]

Good to have a nearby place you can go to.

There's no danger of the road(s) being blocked by fire or other evacuating families?

[Dale]

Kids had a 15 minute cool-off swim before bed.  Now they're running nuts, obviously not going to bed anytime soon without some physical intervention.  haha.

There's no danger of the road(s) being blocked by fire or other evacuating families?

No issues the other day, heading north out of town.  Might be an issue heading south out of town as only one main road out that way.

[Dale]

I really want to do some Comet Lovejoy spotting but with the full moon only a couple days ago going to have to wait a week before it's dark enough.

[Geo]

Totally forgot about it. Too bad, I was under the clearest sky I've been sofar here on Big Island.
I guess fate dictated it was only Kilauea's nightglow tonight for me.

[Unorthodox]

Too much crap in the air here.   

Stupid random fact, I've never seen a comet. 

[Dale]

And it looks like it's going to be cloudy and rainy for the next week.  *sigh*

http://www.bom.gov.au/vic/forecasts/frankston.shtml

Hope it clears up after that, the comet will be at it's max intensity the week after that.