Yesterday Keryn came around at about two pm, so that she and Dolly could sit in the AC and cool down a bit. She said there was a huge column of smoke to the north, which looked very worrying. We checked the CFS page on the net, but there was no information there yet, so we went for a drive.

 It was obviously the same fire that has been burning for over three weeks, which had been contained at Napperby, and now had got away again. They have been working for weeks to put this out, and I'm thinking only a huge downpour could finally extinguish this.

We used to go bushwalking along the fire trails in these hills when we were younger, so we can visualise the terrain up there very well. It's steep and rough, and some places are quite inaccessible. I imagine  the fire trails we walked could be deathtraps in a situation like this.

We weren't just being gawpers either, because the fire was travelling towards Hughs Gap, which is only 4k away from Matt at Bowmans Park. I wanted to know if he might have to evacuate later, so we could make plans.( During the night the wind changed and now there seems to be no threat to the Park, so he's alright)

We weren't in any danger, but later that evening we went for another drive, and the roads we'd gone down earlier were blocked off.

This last photo is of these same hills, the fire had now burnt over the crests and was flowing  down the slopes in horrible waves.

I am so full of admiration for the CFS crews, and the farmers that are out fighting this thing, it really does look like the fires of Mordor, come to life.