Weather Watch – RockVegas Fires
A quick note for World Weather Watch.
(Yes, we missed Wednesday again. That’d be why it’s not Wednesday WWW.
Just keepin‘ you on your toes!)
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It’s another hot, dry day here at Granite Glen… the lawn is quite crispy after a week of me being away in the very green south-east corner. I am the sprinkler lady here, and my garden withered markedly in my absence.
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It’s so easy to forget the terrible dry going on once you are in the city confines – recent rains have brightened Brisbane and Sunshine Coast lawns, filled tanks and dams, and given everyone leave to relax a little on their water saving activities.
The drive home northwards, past parched paddocks and fire-blackened hills sobered me abruptly.
The cows in this paddock were gathered in the corner looking out hopefully at the unburned grass on the other side of the highway. I couldn’t bear to take a photo of them.
These little patches of verde, thanks to irrigation systems watering crops near creeks, were rare moments of visual relief along the journey.
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And today’s news bulletins are enough to stun me into silence.
Well. Almost.
The gorgeous city that starred in my last post is today experiencing s
ome drama of the awful, fiery kind. 
Rockhampton is facing a serious fire threat (photo: ABC News)
According to reports at midday (GG time) one home has already been lost and increasing winds are putting hundreds of homes and residents in extreme danger. An emergency situation was declared in the area last night and today experts have described “horror conditions”.
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We all have everything crossed and those that live in the area in our thoughts – we don’t need another bushfire like those that hit Victoria in February.
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Closer to home, we see smoke from fires to the west of here. These fires (40-50km away) have been burning for a couple of weeks now and strengthening winds have picked them up again. Clouds are forming in the ‘right’ spots for us to get a shower – whether this will help douse the flames only time will tell. Today’s forecast for our area is for ‘less than 1mm rain’ today. So guessing the answer to that last poser would be negative.
*sigh*
The forecast for Rockhampton is for 50% chance of rain (for, you guessed it, less than 1 mm).
And as much as we need the rain, at the moment, I am wishing every bit of our cloud activity 300km north, towards the bushfires around RockVegas.
And as much as we need the rain, at the moment, I am wishing every bit of our cloud activity 300km north, towards the bushfires around RockVegas.
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Any weather dramas in your neck of the woods?
Or are you enjoying a balmy change of season?
8 Comments
Debby
Suddenly my poor trashed lilac bush doesn't seem like such a big deal. I'll shut up now.
jeanie
Oh man, I saw the news tonight and they said that as they hadn't had bushfires there for over 10 years, the undergrowth was dense.
Hmm – I wonder when the concept of "burning off" before bushfires will be implemented…
Mom L
I am really sorry to hear about more fires down there. Some of my favorite science fiction novels over the years involved climate control – rain when and where needed, etc. But that's the trouble with science fiction….
Kelly
Fire is a truly scary thing!! I have to second Jeanie's thought…. my husband is a forester by education and he definitely supports the practice of using controlled burnings to prevent the building up brush.
I hate to even mention our rain, what with all your drought & fires, but we finally had a break this weekend and I was able to capture a blue sky picture for my blog! Coolers temperatures in south Arkansas, as well.
Anonymous
Southeast Ohio, USA. Hard frost this AM. When the sun came over the ridge and struck the woods the maple leaves fell like a light snow. Wow, it was really pretty. Bill
Leenie
So sorry to hear about the drought and fires. Wildfires truly are a horror. Sending you wishes for lots of water, although Nature is such a contrary friend. When Yellowstone Park (just down the road)went up in flames in 1988 we breathed smoke all summer. There are still plenty of places there that show the scars.
Jayne
I assumed there would have been burning off in every state, do they not do this up your way, BB?
Fingers crossed for a great big downpour right on top of the fires.
Mind you, "burning off" here in Vic has been so reduced over the years that we have national parks choking with noxious weeds, fire access trails closed and inaccessible and enough dry undergrowth to create another Black Saturday all over again yet they recently reduced the burning off areas again !
rhubarbwhine
It's a terrible thing. Terrible. That landscape looks so… bereft.