# Are all our Victorian Specktra members ok? Bushfires are scary...



## MrsMay (Feb 8, 2009)

Hey All,

Just checking in to see if we have heard recently from our Melbourne/Victorian members?

Is everyone accounted for and ok?







These bushfires are scary...


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## sambibabe (Feb 8, 2009)

Thanks MrsMay.. 
The sky was grey yesterday from fire. Pretty scary!


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## MrsMay (Feb 8, 2009)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *sambibabe* 

 
_Thanks MrsMay.. 
The sky was grey yesterday from fire. Pretty scary!_

 
Yay!  Nat is here!


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## nunu (Feb 8, 2009)

Awww, hope all of you are okay


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## sambibabe (Feb 8, 2009)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *MrsMay* 

 
_Yay! Nat is here! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 
Err.. I went to MAC today? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







It was so hot and depressing yesterday, so I slept all day.


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## MrsMay (Feb 8, 2009)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *sambibabe* 

 
_Err.. I went to MAC today? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







It was so hot and depressing yesterday, so I slept all day._

 
hahaha yeah, I saw that post after I did this thread 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Hopefully the cool change that has come in here will move over to you guys tomorrow!  We even had rain last night!


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## sambibabe (Feb 8, 2009)

Must be the same cloud lol.. We too had rain and thunderstorm last night!  Today was soooo cold - it is crazy!

Hopefully you have been a good girl staying home this weekend! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  You need all your energy for huge BBR haul this Wednesday


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## spectrolite (Feb 8, 2009)

^^OMG its so terrible 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




! I'm okay but I am really sorry for all of the horror that others are going through. 

On Saturday at work the sky was the weirdest colour. It was orange and grey and eerily bright and dark at the same time. It seriously looked like I imagine the sky would look like after a bomb had gone off. I waited around at work for a while since our power was out at home and I didn't feel like sitting there with no fan, but when I went out to walk to Melb Uni to get my tram this huge gale nearly swept me away! I couldn't walk against it. The wind was HOT and full of gravel that actually hurt my skin and embedded into my make up ewww! It was full on... I hope we never have weather like that again but apparently its going to get worse and worse in years to come.


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## cassandra-ellen (Feb 8, 2009)

Im okay. We had a fire in the hill in front of my house which was terryfing, but didnt come close to the house. Sadly 6 houses were lost in it though. It was the narre warren one.
Sadly my mum lost a family friend which is devestating. Its such a horrific event.


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## sambibabe (Feb 8, 2009)

I am so sorry to hear that Cassendra-ellen!  Glad to hear you are okay though. I thought fires had settled down with the cooler weather yesterday, but so many lives and homes were lost yesterday. It is just so heart breaking.


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## MrsMay (Feb 9, 2009)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *cassandra-ellen* 

 
_Im okay. We had a fire in the hill in front of my house which was terryfing, but didnt come close to the house. Sadly 6 houses were lost in it though. It was the narre warren one.
Sadly my mum lost a family friend which is devestating. Its such a horrific event._

 





I'm so sorry hun... my thoughts are with you and all those that are touched by this disaster...


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## panda0410 (Feb 9, 2009)

Yikes! I am so sorry for anyone in the fires! I have freinds in Narre Warren and they are OK - but frightened just the same 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




I know its been so hot down there too cant be helping. One of my girlfriends in Baxter reported a 46.5 degree day on Saturday, she isnt near the fires obviously but she IS donating and helping where she can! I hope all our VIC specktra girls are safe and well!!


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## lara (Feb 9, 2009)

Some friends of mine lost their house outside Long Gully. Their horses, livestock and their little house calf couldn't be saved. They've got nothing left.


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## MrsMay (Feb 9, 2009)

^^ oh Lara that's horrible... I am soooooo sorry


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## simplyenchantin (Feb 9, 2009)

I'm still in NSW and haven't heard much from anyone in VIC that I know personally but the whole situation is really sad. I went to Myer today - they are holding an appeal for the victims so when you all get your BBR hauls try to donate some! I think the MUA said that if the donations add up to a particular figure Myer will put that same amount in too.


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## Paramnesia (Feb 9, 2009)

Hey all.
I'm pretty lucky where I am we don't really get any of the bushfires. There was one about 35km away though.
Hope all is well.


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## Nzsallyb (Feb 9, 2009)

hope everyone is ok, seeing the news with the death toll is very saddening. thoughts and condolences go out to those that have been affected by these horrific events.

i hope the scumbags are caught that have deliberately started some of the fires.

over here in NZ the skies are tinted with the smoke from the fires.


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## rockin26 (Feb 10, 2009)

I was in the Gold Coast when the bushfires hit so I didn't get to experience the freakish weather but our holiday was definately overshadowed by the whole thing. My ex's dad lives in King Lake, he lost everything and by some amazing stroke of luck he survived by hiding behind a brick wall while the flames went straight over him.

One of my friends who was with me in GC had a boyfirend who went to help his dad defend there property in Churchill, the last she heard from him on Saturday was a text saying the fires were close and they were in trouble. She hasn't heard from him since. I can't stop thinking of her, we all just wanted to get back in the end.

I still managed to get my BBR haul but it wasn't nearly as fun as usual.


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## MrsMay (Feb 10, 2009)

^^ oh, that is absolutely horrible....

I was at Woolworths today and they had the collection jars at the checkout - I took the only note that I had in my purse (granted, it was only a $10 one) and put it into the jar.  I know we are having a collection BBQ at work next week so I will donate more then.


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## redambition (Feb 11, 2009)

thanks to those who have checked in - glad to hear you are all ok! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




i have some friends who aren't doing so well.. one of them has lost her house and possibly her husband. no one has heard from him since saturday. another is stuck on her property, they are still surrounded by bushfires and she is constantly patrolling and having to put out spot fires caused by falling embers. she's already lost her greenhouse and is trying to save her rabbit shed (she breeds angora bunnies) and her home. i'm worried sick about her. the last update from her was that a lightning strike has started another fire 8km from her house, and the bunyip fire is essentially headed straight for her. i'm hoping she pulls through this.

ETA: i just got another update from the friend surrounded by fire... at the moment her place is not in immediate danger any more, but she still has to be ready to either defend or evacuate at any moment depending on what the fire and wind do.


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## simplyenchantin (Feb 11, 2009)

That's so scary, red. I hope everything will be okay with her.


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## rockin26 (Feb 11, 2009)

So sorry to hear that red, hoping for the best for your friend and anyone else that still isn't accounted for. My pal hasn't heard from her fella yet, it really isn't looking good. Poor little thing is beside herself....


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## panda0410 (Feb 12, 2009)

OMG, Issy I am so sorry to hear that 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 The whole thing is just frightening, and I am sure the people directly involved were, and maybe still are, terrified 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




My heart goes out to anyone involved with, or those who have friend/family caught  up with, these fires. I had an email this morning from another breeding friend in mornington - she is an ex cat breeder and is taking in peoples cats from the fires to her old catteries - she was asking for donations** to help feed and care them now until their families can take them back. If anyone here is in or around mornington and wants to help please PM me, I would be more than happy to pass some details on.

**NOT money - cat food and litter


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## redambition (Feb 12, 2009)

thanks all... still no news on the friend's hubby... and the other i haven't heard from all day, but i am guessing she's taking this chance to take things a little easier while they aren't under direct threat.


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## kiss_love_kill (Feb 12, 2009)

mannn seriously things are very intense and scary right now... fingers crosssed


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## rockin26 (Feb 12, 2009)

I spoke to my friend yesterday. They found the body of her BF and his dad, very tragic, the poor little thing is gutted.


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## MrsMay (Feb 12, 2009)

^^ oh, I am soooooooooooooooooooo sorry...


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## simplyenchantin (Feb 13, 2009)

I'm so so sorry too. That is terrible news


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## panda0410 (Feb 13, 2009)

OMG, I am so very sorry


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## sambibabe (Feb 13, 2009)

I am so sorry.. I just can't believe it is happening so close to home.  I have been smelling smoke since this morning and the sky is amber again!


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## Repunzel (Feb 13, 2009)

gosh that is terrible.At my work the donations that we put in my boss is going to match it,plus he is taking a percentage out of profit, to give to the bushfire fund.There is a lot of generous victorians.Its so sad what happened.


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## MrsMay (Feb 13, 2009)

The bushfires have now started in Adelaide...

AdelaideNow... Fire along Adelaide's Southern Expressway controlled

EDIT:  ok - they updated the website between when I was reading to when I posted here to say that they are now under control...


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## panda0410 (Feb 13, 2009)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *sambibabe* 

 
_I am so sorry.. I just can't believe it is happening so close to home. I have been smelling smoke since this morning and the sky is amber again!_

 
My friend in Baxter reported that 3 new fires are burning near her this morning and she didnt know til she saw the news... she is in an area not previously under threat - someone lit those!!


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## Lyssah (Feb 13, 2009)

Quote:

 *rockin26:*I spoke to my friend yesterday. They found the body of her BF and his dad, very tragic, the poor little thing is gutted.  
 
I'm very sorry to hear that. It's so tragic. 

 Quote:

 *cassandra-ellen:*Im okay. We had a fire in the hill in front of my house which was terryfing, but didnt come close to the house. Sadly 6 houses were lost in it though. It was the narre warren one.
Sadly my mum lost a family friend which is devestating. Its such a horrific event.  
 
You must live near me! There was also a nasty one in Harkaway too! I'm sorry to hear about your family friend..

The sky was so dark today and it was a amber-orangish colour. When I got to work the smoke was pretty nasty you could smell it being vented around the building through the air con 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




My heart goes out to all of those affected by the bush fires. I'm shopping at coles tonight to try and raise some more money (hopefully).


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## redambition (Feb 15, 2009)

bad news today.. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the friend i posted about earlier found out that her husband was killed in the fire - they have now found and identified him.

she and her son are trying to come to terms with it.


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## MrsMay (Feb 15, 2009)

^^ oh hun I am so so sorry


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## sambibabe (Feb 15, 2009)

I am so sorry too..


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## rockin26 (Feb 15, 2009)

Really sorry to hear that Red......


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## Paramnesia (Feb 15, 2009)

Oh I'm sorry to hear that red.


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## panda0410 (Feb 15, 2009)

Oh my goodness, I am just so sorry 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 This isnt good news either 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 So many people have lost family and friends....

I got an email tonight from my girlfriend down there, apparently there are a few more fires nearer to her now despite things settling down elsewhere and she is quite worried. Is anyone here near Baxter or around the Mornington Peninsula? I am worried for her


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## simplyenchantin (Feb 15, 2009)

Back in Melbourne and I can smell the smoke in Richmond. It makes me so sad


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## misspresh (Feb 16, 2009)

It is hella smokey outside tonight, worse so than it has been the past few days 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the kinglake fires were only about 10-15 minutes from bf's place, very scary stuff indeed. I hope everyone stays safe. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's been devastating, six degrees etc everyone knows someone affected. It is touching to see how kind and generous so many people can be though.


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## sambibabe (Feb 22, 2009)

When is this ever going to end?  My friend who lives near the mountain has evacuated since last week.  Today he was thinking about going back home and fight the fire, but we convinced him to stay away!


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## Septemba (Feb 23, 2009)

Lots of smoke in my town tonight, there was a fire warning for towns about an hour away (I'm in regional Vic) but no threat here. I'm really shaken over these fires, it feels so surreal. I'm just devastated for all these people, I can't believe it's happened.


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## sambibabe (Feb 23, 2009)

It was crazy here yesterday!  My work is at the busy intersection and I could hear fire trucks flying by all day long!  Then hubby rang me up to let me know that there was a fire near us..  I live/work near the mountain and the smoke was just unbearable, plus the main road was jammed with people hurrying home to grab kids and belongings.  Luckily the weather has cooled down today, but Friday is going to hit high 30s and I am not looking forward to it!


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## panda0410 (Feb 24, 2009)

And just when we thought things were starting to settle down a little 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Hope you guys are all Ok, will be keeping my fingers crossed that Friday is more temperate than predicted! XXX


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## cassandra-ellen (Feb 24, 2009)

I hope your doing fine samibabe!
We had another fire near our place, but lucky it was a bit further away (its about a 5 min drive to where it was). You could hear the helicopters and everything. 2 of my cousins decided to evacuate their families from their homes because it was getting close, but they safe which is the main thing.
I just hope these fires will be out soon!


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