Bushfires

Today in Melbourne we woke to the smokey haze of an Asian metropolis. The sun was a gold hazy disc hanging in the sky. The smell of woodsmoke, usually such a comforting smell, seeped into our houses and our offices. As I look out the window I can see clearly for 20ms - usually my view extends all the way into Port Phillip Bay and on to the horizon. This is due to the fact that so much of the high country and East Gippsland is burning and the smoke has made its way down to us. Perhaps to remind Melbournians how dry and hot conditions in our state are this year. In 2003 a drought and bushfire combination burnt it's way through Victoria and NSW - this year (only 3 years on!) its worse. Our company operates a hydroelectric plant near Mt Beauty - a few hours north of Melbourne. The guys up there were perilously close to being burnt by the fires on the weekend just gone. One of the guys has sent us some photos he took when the fires were closing in. If you look to the right you can see some of the houses of the township. The helicopter in the photo is called Elvis.