[SEL] fires today

[pjp08 at steamengine.com.au]

It was over 40 (116F) here again today and once again we are terrorised by
fire here in my state of Victoria. Approximately 30% of our state is
either burning or burnt today. Hundreds of homes have been lost and so far
fourteen people have been killed. Entire towns are gone. Some fire fronts
have reached the Northern suburbs of our capital Melbourne.

Many of the fires are arson. Some are from lightning.

Several of the biggest ten have moved hundreds of km defying the efforts
of fire fighters.

We've been very lucky today. There have been several large fires in and
around our town. A sleepless night coming up now that the wind has become
gusty.

Tomorrow a cooler day but gale force winds. Our northern neighbours in New
South Wales are in for it tomorrow. Very ironic given the northern most
state Queensland has huge areas of flooding.

Regards Paul