A state of grief and disbelief…
Living in a state racked with grief and disbelief…a state where everyone is on edge at any siren. In the last 10 minutes 5 firetrucks have raced past my home and I’m sure I am not alone in trying to work out what is going on…It’s the coolest day in many weeks… From my balcony I spot a small plume of smoke and a check online and I find out that a grass fire has got going in a nearby town. I have no doubt the CFA volunteer crews will have this one out in no time whatsoever. Even though all local brigades have been running shifts for 10 days now attending to the fires throughout South and West Gippsland.
It was as recent as January 2007 on a day similar to this that some IDIOT ignited a blaze in the local foreshore reserve that abutts where we live. Luckily that blaze only got to the size of a couple of hectares before being swamped by a dozen crews. But given the wrong wind conditions and weather it is a threat that is real.
This is the foreshore some 500m away that was set on fire Jan.2007.
‘summer days’– 5 image stitch, Canon EOS 5D mkII.
Tony Middleton - Inspired Landscape Photography 
Hey mate,
I’m still watching all the news in disbelief.
Most of my mates up here, CFA and DSE firefighters are a shell shocked, some with 35 years experience of firefighting.
It is a very somber time, I thought I would have been off to Kinglake/Marysville by now as a relief crew, but I’m not sure what happened.
I have been trying to call a few friends in the path of the Beechworth fire but no response. Just a waiting game.
This fire certainly puts the one we went through 3 years ago into perspective. Anyway take care down there mate, looks like the Prom is growing in size.
yeah makes the massive 2006-2007 look different as the human toll was 1. In saying that any and every life lost is a huge loss.
Yeah prom is evacuated and ‘closed’ and growing. Two new fires around Mt Baw Baw – can’t see much getting into these and stopping them from growing. In fact the entire west gippy ranges through to the knglake and beechworth fires have not a lot in the way to halt them other than conditions.
Not sure what is happening with your crews – perhaps not going as your proximity for the Grampians ?
Ch.9 coverage after Underbelly is incredible ! some of the peoples stories and footage is leaving me just speechless….
You have some amazing photography! I love the panoramic photographs. I have been doing some panoramic portraits and want to get a little more involved with them.