canberra bushfire experience

On Saturday there was thick smoke covering Canberra but it had been like that for a week so we didn't think that much of it. Then early afternoon we saw fire on the ridges for the first time. By middle of the afternoon we had long lines of 30 metre high flames rip through forested hills all around us that come to about 500 metres from the house. It was 34 degrees with strong
winds but as the fire got close the wind increased as if it was creating its own draft. There was so much ash and debris flying through the air. We packed suitcases
with passports, clothes etc ready to evacuate. All we
could do was empty the gutters and squirt water on the house with garden hoses. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon the sky was black as night with smoke then the power went so we had to light candles. We watched as the fires raged all around us with no fire crews in attendance. The main fire passed quite quickly and we breathed a sigh of relief but then the wind changed direction and it came back for another go. The only thing that saved us was the wind direction and the fact that we live next to a golf course that is kept well watered. It calmed down a bit in the evening but as we went to bed the hillsides all around us were still on fire. Every time I closed my eyes I saw fire. Today we have power and the phone back on and it is much cooler but more hot weather is forecast for this week.

A very scarey experience but as we ventured to the local shops we passed 10 houses that had been burnt out and we realised how lucky we had been.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/01/19/1042911273067.html