Heatwaves and bushfires

I hate this time of year at home... it's stinking hot... and the bushfires...

The other day I had an email from one of my employers who is on holiday down on the Great Ocean Rd and mentioned they have a "bushfire plan" for while they are there.  City folk need to think about this when they are away on holidays.  When you live in the country it's always on your mind as soon as the weather heats up and the grass dries out.

The Aussie news yesterday was all about bushfires and the thought makes me sick to my stomach.  They aren't in our area but I can't help but think about it.  

My mum said it's extremely hot up Bendigo way and they went to Melbourne for a visit where the temperatures were 8 degrees or so less.  I remember the year of Black Saturday it was so hot for so long that I couldn't stand being inside another minute... but I couldn't stand being out in the heat either.  Sitting on our back verandah was so hot you could feel the heat in the back of your throat with every breath.  We got in the car (enjoying the airconditioning on the way) and drove to the top of Mt Macedon where instead of 42 degrees it was just 30 degrees.  What bliss it was to get out of the car and go for a good walk.

There are fires in four states today!

Tasmania (Ninemsn):

"A bushfire threatening the historic southern Tasmanian town of Richmond has been brought within containment lines, but crews are wary of an imminent heatwave throughout the state.

Dozens of people were evacuated from the town after the fire breached containment lines and put properties under direct threat around 2pm (AEDT) on Thursday.

A Tasmania Fire Service spokesman said the fire was back within the containment lines by Thursday evening."

NSW (Ninemsn):

"Firefighters are urging NSW residents to prepare their homes against the threat of bushfires as about 70 blazes continue to burn across the state.

NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) spokesman Ben Shepherd told AAP firefighters were trying to get as many under control as possible before conditions turned nasty on Tuesday."

South Australia (Ninemsn):

"Around 50 fire crews are monitoring flare-ups from a controlled bushfire on South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula as the threat of more fires across the state eases."

Victoria (News.com.au):

"FIREFIGHTERS are hoping to bring a blaze in Victoria's southwest under control today, with more than 2700ha already destroyed.

The CFA has worked overnight to fight the fire, which has ripped through grassland and national forest between Port Fairy and Nelson, next to the South Australian border."