Dunn's Rd Fire
 

Some Photos from the Dunn's Rd Fire
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And.. The perils of working at night...
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(Everyone including the machine is OK...)

Destruction...
 

Tony.
Tragedy.
We have lost your work. And our shared history.
Curse the fires!

No chance you would have to worry about finding anyone chained to your bulldozer at present Howard.
Not a greenie in sight in the current climate.

Bush Fires
 

We are so sorry to see all of the harm you poor guys are going through Down Under with all of the bushfires.

We are hoping and praying for heavy rain or anything else we can think of, and wish we didn't feel so powerless to help you.

It is great to see the way that your rural communities are pulling together.

Your rural fire service seem really awesome, but surely some way must be found to reinforce them.

We hope that you and your families will remain safe in the coming days.

In the 1980s Mount St Helens erupted on the northwestern tip of the Continental US. There was so much ash and particulate in the air that the weather that summer was frighteningly wet and cold. If you are downwind of the fires, expect changes to predictable patterns.

Fully sympathize with our fellow Rusty Old Trucker brothers and sisters in their time of peril.

https://www.tatimes.com.au/batlow-un...ergency-alert/ January 4, 2020, 1:24 pm

Gulp. Robert and Vicki have a brand new house near Batlow.

Batlow is once more under an emergency warning. It came into place at about 1.10pm when the fire jumped a containment line west of the town.

The RFS advises that if you are in Batlow and surrounding areas, it is now too late to take shelter as fire approaches.

Firefighters are continuing to work to slow the spread of the fire and protect properties.

The RFS said fire activity is increasing in the area.

Just confirmed we still have the house, tractor and dozed, all sheds burnt, don't know if anything is salvageable, no access for me some friends still in Batlow sent pictures, not pretty.

Have the fires in your area passed Robert?

Passed us but still burning out of control, Tumbarumba could be attacked from another direction tomorrow.

I knew a Lindsay Dunstan from Tumbarumba. He had a Kiwifruit orchard here in Tauranga (by that name) some years ago, but they retired back to there.
I believe he passed away.

Robert: Sorry to hear about the loss of your sheds, but happy to hear that your new house, as well as some of the heavy equipment was spared.

Really sorry to hear that Robert, I assume the Blitz was in the shed. At least your new home survived and you are all safe.

best regards,
Richard

30th December 2019 is not a day one would normally wants to remember, but it is one which I will never forget. Some time ago I had a very rare item donated by Hookways Airlines to our Museum. Hookways had purchased all of the Australian Navy's Grumman Tracker Sub-chasers when they were retired many years ago. As well as the planes there was the complete Link Trainer for the Grumman Trackers. It consisted of two 40 foot semi trailers. One had the fuselage of a Grumman Tracker and studio, the other the computer to operate it. Whilst we were preparing to establish it at the Museum it was stored at a mates place. Unfortunately the fires on the 30th. put paid to that dream and completely destroyed both trailers. Fortunately my mate and his wife survived the fire at Sarsfield Vic. as did all their animals. I am so, so glad that my mate Pete and his wife Jen were unhurt in what must have been a terrible experience. It is a bit disappointing that the trailers were destroyed but no one was hurt, so I will put the museums loss down to bad luck. Here are some photos taken today and some before of this unique and rare item which will now no longer be kept for prosperity.

First views.

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Fuselage trailer

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Computer trailer.

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More to come.

How hot did it get to soften the springs this much?

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Looking at where the pilot sat.

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Computer trailer.

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ID plate saved.

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This is what we lost. Photos from when I first saw them at West Sale.

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Trackers at West Sale.

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Sad, but as no one was hurt, all is good.

Cheers Rick.

Lost to the Flames
 

Hi Rick,

To use that very descriptive Australian word - Bugger!! Sad to see the losses mounting as this thread progresses - your museum's trailers, Robert's sheds and Tony's train carriage. There are more losses we are yet to hear about, too, I suspect.

As you have said, the very real up-side is no loss of life among the MLU community, for which I'm sure we are all grateful.

The fire situation in Australia should make us all sit up and think about our collections and how safe they are from a situation like that being experienced by our MLU friends in Australia. I for one will be doing some re-evaluation of the risk factors.

Best regards

Mike

Breath deeply. Exhale deeply. Ultimately what we have is just 'stuff', and we are only taking care of it for the next owners. Things are lost, and there is little that can be done.

What we need are people, and from the sounds of it everyone we know on MLU has passed these events safely. Touch wood (as I knock on my forehead), we'll all be around to reflect on these times come the rainy season.

Just watched the news here. Even here in Holland the fires are a big item in the news every day.

Just devastating......

take care guys!

Bushfires in Australia
 

what a worrying time for everyone,im thinking of you all and hope for the best.
I have most of my cousins from a large family living in different parts of Australia,some are affected by the fires but ok,one cousins daughter is a fire fighter in her local community.

Fires
 

The fires continue to burn

Expecting up to 40mm rain later this week. It won't be enough to put the fires out, but should slow things down a lot.

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Unfortunately this fire break proved to be futile once the wind sprung up last night (9th Jan)

Photos
 

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Batlow
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvzKUpAQLQ8
Fortunately for me I wasn't at Batlow when the fire storm hit.

I have to pile on with everyone else and say how heartbreaking it is to just see it on the news and can only imagine what a nightmare it is for you all down there.
The wife and I donated $200 for the fight (and nightmare) you guys down under are living daily.

News today that a C130 Large Air Tanker chartered to fight the NSW fires from Canadian company Coulson Aircrane has crashed in the firezone, killing all 3 US Aircrew on board.

https://7news.com.au/news/nsw/three-...n-nsw-c-661540

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/23/w...ash-fires.html

Grateful for the worldwide assistance coming to help, but saddened at the cost.

:remember :salute:

Hi Tony,
Very sad to hear this, it was on UK news as well.

regards, Richard

Finally have power back on and can use PC to resize pictures.
Blitz, 6x6, Survivor, shed we lived in that the solar panels were on, current view.

Simply speechless...
 

Terrible

I send my regards

Phill

Devastating!
 

Heartbreaking to see all the devastation... Don't have words for it, really.
Hope you can all can get back on the horse and pick up your lives after this.

:salute:

Hanno