Warrumbungle Fire

[JDNSW]

A few minutes ago there was an announcement from ABC Dubbo that the fire that damaged the Siding Spring Observatory a couple of days ago is now expected to affect our radio and television.

The RFS last night advised the local ABC office, who produce the local radio service I listen to, that they do not expect to be able to save the transmitters on Mt St Cruac. As well as all ABC FM radio (some individual towns have their own short range transmitters), this will mean the loss of all TV broadcast transmissions over a large area of NSW, and some communication services, including the RFS radio system over much the same area.

Last night the site was expected to be lost early today, but calmer than predicted winds overnight now mean the loss is likely to happen tomorrow or Friday when temperatures in the forties and high winds are expected to return.

Loss of the site is not certain, but is expected. There has been extensive site preparation by RFS, but the site is too dangerous to defend other than from the air, which is limited by wind, visibility and time of darkness.

John

[vnx205]

No update yet about the situation, but this has been published about how to continue to receive emergency information.

http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2013/01/15/3670282.htm'site%3Dwesternplains?&h=mAQH1bMC6&s=1

[weeds]

loss of radio and tv is a concern......

[wardy1]

I was in the W'bungles on 18th/19th December.... what a beautiful place! I intended staying 2 nights but the park was closed on the Wednesday due to high temps and the chance of an electrical storm later that day. Good management I thought. Really sorry to hear of a fire in there.

[jx2mad]

My cousin lost his property at Bugaldie. He was running beef cattle and we don't know if any survived as yet. He is naturally too shaken up to talk. I don't think he will redevelop the farm but who knows. It would be an expensive exercise trying to restock and wait for calves to sell with no income in the meantime. Jim

[Bushie]

My son heads up there tomorrow as part of an RFS strike team, - keeping up the family tradition.

It would appear that the forecast for Friday has been moderated a bit, now only pushing the high 30s



Outlook for Friday

Cloud increasing. Winds: N/NW 25 km/h turning W/SW around midnight. Maximum temperature 39C. Min. humidity 15%.
Martyn

[vnx205]

It would seem from the report on the radio this morning that the tower survived.

[JDNSW]

There are now forty properties confirmed destroyed, but no deaths or injuries. The Newell Highway has now reopened.

To put this fire in perspective, it took two days to burn out about the same area as the fire next door to me did in a month in 2007. Main reason for the difference? Terrain - mountains vs flat.

John

[vnx205]

I remember your photos of the 2007 fire. This photo from the ABC site of the current fire looks just as impressive.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/01/697.jpg

I spent quite a bit of time in the Warrumbungles doing some fairly serious rock climbing in the 60's and called in again after the AULRO NSW 10th Anniversary gathering. I can understand why there would be no access at all to large areas.

[Disco44]

Anyone got an up date? It is not updated as much up here in Queensland.
John.

[Bushie]

Major Fire Updates - NSW Rural Fire Service (http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/dsp_content.cfm?CAT_ID=684)

Martyn

[JDNSW]

It would seem from the report on the radio this morning that the tower survived.

Having survived Tuesday night, thanks to better than forecast weather, tomorrow/Saturday is now the critical time, with forecast temperatures only in the high thirties and winds below 20kph in the latest forecast. Significant rain is forecast for Saturday and Sunday, which may help - or be too late.

John

[jx2mad]

An update to my cousin's lost house. Only the main house went up. The workmens cottage is ok along with his machinery shed. He lost a small number of his cattle but has around 500 left, so he still has his source of income. Jim

[Bushie]

Just had a message from my son who is dayshift on the Warrumbungles fireground - "It's ****ing down here" (think raining, swear filter certainly mangles that)

Martyn

[Hymie]

Anybody use this site?
Emergency Information — New South Wales (http://emergencynsw.info/)

You can swap the NSW in the URL to VIC for Victoria, Tas for Tasmania, QLD for Queensland etc.

[JDNSW]

Just had a message from my son who is dayshift on the Warrumbungles fireground - "It's ****ing down here" (think raining, swear filter certainly mangles that)

Martyn


Was here a few minutes ago, but now stopped.

John

[JDNSW]

Anybody use this site?
Emergency Information — New South Wales (http://emergencynsw.info/)

You can swap the NSW in the URL to VIC for Victoria, Tas for Tasmania, QLD for Queensland etc.

For fires the RFS site is better in my view.

John

[Bushie]

The RFS site draws its info from an internal database called ICON (Incident Contro ONline). This has to be regularly updated depending on alert level (ie 15min intervals for Emergency Warnings).
Mapping is drawn straight from the maps that the IMT update.
Obviously during the guerrilla warfare early stages things may be a little less than perfect, but a VERY high priority is given to the warning messages.


Martyn

[bob10]

No update yet about the situation, but this has been published about how to continue to receive emergency information.

How to stay listening to ABC Local Radio - ABC Western Plains NSW - Australian Broadcasting Corporation (http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2013/01/15/3670282.htm'site%3Dwesternplains?&h=mAQH1bMC6&s=1)

Hats off to the ABC, without them there would be nothing. Saying a silent prayer for all in harms way, Bob