You guys are lovely.

[Robin4]

I have had some private messages from CC members from around the world wanting to know if we are being impacted by bushfires currently burning in the Adelaide hills. Dear Jo from Durban asks if there is any way she can help!

We are fine, it is now 11.00pm, standing outside and looking to the north there is a noticeable red glow in the sky and neighbouring towns to the north of us have been given instructions to leave for safe areas! 

This morning there was a lot of air traffic and many sirens, and when I went outside everything had a really yellow appearance, and looking to our north this was what the sky looked like.......

We did not get to our expected maximum here today, it only got to 44.2c but a change has come through, the winds have stopped to dead still, the odd thunderstorm has rolled through with a sprinkle of rain and the temp has fallen to 19c,  so I think the emergency services have a good chance of getting on top of things tonight.

We are totally safe and immune from a fire threat here. We are in the centre of a town of 30,000 people. On two sides our property is bordered by the local high school grassed ovals and on another side we have our linear park with 100's of acres of well watered and kept grass and a large lake. There is no possibility of a fire ever impacting us here, but I feel terribly for those to the north of us, quite a few of them have lost their properties and there are stock all over the place. Farmers just opened their paddock gates and herded their stock out onto roadways so they could escape the fire front.

There are at least 8 Airbnb hosts in the areas that are being directly impacted by this fire and I am trying to contact each of them and see if they need any assistance.  

We will get around this in good condition and live to fight another day.

I would like to thank all of you, this truly is a great community!

Thanks....& see ya.

Cheers.......Rob 

[Helen350]

Gosh! Glad you're safe, @Robin4 , I can't imagine many things worse than losing your home.... Hadn't realised SA was affected... Seems almost close to home having once been married to an Adelaide man... many trips there.... Take care.

[Rachel0]

@Robin4 Really glad to hear that you and your family are safe and sound.  I've been to Australia a couple of times as I  have friends  who live in Melbourne.  The last time I was there in 2012 we went up into the hills behind the city to what was left of the community of Kinglake which was so badly affected by the terrible fires on Black Saturday in February 2009 when nearly 200 people lost their lives.  They were selling Christmas tree decorations made from the salvaged wood so I bought one and it has pride of  place on my tree every Christmas since then.  And just to think, there are STILL some people who think global  warming is not a vital issue - no names mentioned of course but think of red baseball caps .......

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

I am happy to hear that you are well 🙂

[Robin129]

Glad to hear my friend! Take care.

[Clara116]

@Robin4  So glad you are out of harms way as they say...............and of course you are reaching out to help others - how kind indeed. 

Our ridiculous news is so filled with most all politics which is getting so tiresome, embarrassing and I am so ashamed of how our leader (lol) is carrying on --- I do wish this was over and we never had to see that orange face or hear those very ignorant, thoughtless remarks ever again. 

Sad when I have to learn the news from the CC. But glad all is OK in your world front. 

[Robin4]

@Clara116 

Yeah, on our news services Clara, we have gone from images of orange faces to orange skies! It sort of puts the world in perspective for us.

But there is a long held belief that socially, there are three things you should never talk about....Politics, Sex, and Religion, so I think I will pull up stumps on that one!!!

I do have to agree with you Clara, that mainstream American media are very insular. They seem to consider the world ends at the US low water mark. We were in NY in early September 2013 at the time terrorists stormed and killed 71 people and injured another 200 in a Nairobi shopping mall in Kenya. In some major TV news services that item did not even make the scroll line at the bottom of the screen, it was all about rescuing some guy from a car in a flooded riverbed  somewhere in Utah!  

Good news is local news in the US!

Thanks for your well wishes and have a great Christmas mate!

Cheers......Rob

[Cathie19]

 and Ade, Garry and I are very pleased the day, although extremely sad and very tragic for the area, has kept the fires from Mt Barker. We’ve been watching the maps closely with family in Hahndorf, so through their reports, we knew your area was okay. 

I have to admit that when we were there this time last year, moving along that same stretch between Hahndorf towards Evanston Gardens, I did comment how dangerous it would feel to be on the road in a fire. So winding to travel, with little room for getting out in a hurry should you have to.... 🙁😟. 

When the kids  were little, we would picnic at Cudlee Creek, so have fond memories of the area. Prayers and positive vibes being sent to all in The Hills.

PS: Besides the Xmas lights at the old brewery, we use to love driving up to the Hills to get a Xmas tree and also the  Lobethal Xmas lights. 

[Robin4]

Bushfires (wildfires) are a terrible thing, they tear communities apart.

Much of the Adelaide hills that has been burnt has been horse stud properties where stock worth many millions of dollars reside.......Johnny Glaetz, one of our leading breeders is in hospital with severe burns!

Early on Friday afternoon, Woodside resident Annie Whicker spoke to the ABC from Balhannah Oval, after walking there from Woodside with her horse to escape the Cudlee Creek blaze.

When Ms Whicker next spoke to the ABC on Friday evening, she had found out that she had "lost everything".

"Our property is gone, the fires went through and have taken it all," she said.

"My husband and I are here with our horse, and my daughter is here, who we have been separated from all day — so it's nice to be back together, to have some of the family here".

They are clinging onto the only thing they have left, themselves and their horse. But the community and the state will help them get back on their feet again, that's what we do, we're mates!

Lobethal has been spared although it came close.....

This shot is taken from the upper end of the main street.

@Cathie19 a lot of the glitter has been taken out of the 'Lobbie' Christmas lights this year.

Can I say a super thanks to the American crews who have come here to help, not just us, but the East Coast. I know it's a reciprocal thing but, these guys are volunteers who come from the other side of the world to put their lives on the line to help others.

Americans and Canadians are a special breed!

Cheers......Rob 

[Miloud0]

Salute @Robin4, 

I just yesterday saw in news what happen in your country. I hope that all things are well with you 

Thanks, 

Miloud

[Robin4]

@Miloud0 

Thanks Miloud, things are fine with us, and being in the middle of a large town of around 30,000 people  the fire was never going to threaten us personally but this is a map showing the areas that were and still are being affected. Click to enlarge!

You can see from the distance scale lower right it came within 3 miles (5 Kms) of us.

There has been a lot of devastation though, many properties affected.

But as much as people have been affected, it's the wildlife and the animals that you have to feel for, they don't know what is happening or how to escape......

Koalas rescued from the Bushfire at Cudlee Creek.

These are the most placid of creatures that seem to cop it from both sides....humans and nature.

Driving in hills areas is going to be challenging  for some time. Many animal studs exist in the affected area and owners just opened their gates to let their stock escape the fire. Most of these animals are micro chipped and tagged so owners will be able to recover the bulk of them. It was better to do than than just watch them burn, but all these animals on the roads will pose a significant risk until this fire is out!

Thanks Miloud but we are OK.

Cheers.........Rob 

[Giuliana142]

Dear @Robin4  my heart goes out to all of you who are affected by the fires.  Terrible thing. I am very proud that Canadian firefighters have volunteered to go over help you guys out. Canada has amazing equipment to control forest fires. I hope all will be well. Hugs, Giuliana.

[Miloud0]

Salute,

Many thanks @Robin4 for reply. 

I am glad that you are well. And i hope so the other people and animals that are around the fire area 

Thanks, 

Miloud

[John1080]

@Robin4, happy to hear you're safe and sound and that the firest didn't make it to your place!

Living in an arid area (Colorado), we know firsthand the fear of fire, so our hearts go out to you! Here, our collective mind is always looking to the sky in the hope of moisture and living on the edge of our seats hoping a fire doesn't break out in fire season. 

Good, positive thoughts and vibes sent your way!

[Lizzie]

So glad you and Ade are ok @Robin4, it is terribly worrying to hear about the fires. We've been closely following the news about all the fires in Australia.

I've got some close friends who live in Sydney and they send me a photo looking out across the bay with a caption saying, here you should see the Opera House–instead there was just smoke. 

I was in San Francisco October 2018 when the awful fires were just north of the city and everyone was wearing masks and even though this was still some way from the fires it was still very unnervy–so I do hope you are ok. 

Sending you all the best and luck for you and everyone close to fires in Australia. Stay safe and let's hope the weather improves to get on top of it. 

Lizzie