Hey, Waz
 

Are you OK? Should any of these blazes affect you? And you haven't even ENTERED the wildfire season yet?

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Wildfire Causes Evacuations in Australia
Fri Jan 17, 7:34 AM ET

By MIKE CORDER, Associated Press Writer

SYDNEY, Australia - Tourists were evacuated from a popular mountain resort Friday as wildfires raged out of control nearby and brought a rain of ash to the area.

Authorities closed roads and evacuated hundreds of people from the village of Thredbo, 280 miles southwest of Sydney, said Stuart Cohen, a spokesman for the fire service.

Fires sparked by lightning were burning across mountainous regions of southern New South Wales state and neighboring Victoria. Wildfires also hit forests close to the capital, Canberra, although the city itself was not threatened.

More than 40 fires started on Jan. 8 and have blackened more than 160,000 largely uninhabited acres. High winds and dense smoke hindered efforts to fight the wildfires from the air.

Earlier, another mountain resort in northern Victoria state, Hotham Heights, also was evacuated, the state's Department of Sustainability and Environment said in a statement. It was not immediately clear how many people were affected.

Officials in Victoria said they may call in the army to help firefighters if the fires get much worse over the weekend.

Each Southern Hemisphere summer, searing heat often tops 104 degrees and hot winds from the arid interior fan firestorms along the country's more populous coast.

But a drought affecting almost 90 percent of Australia has raised concerns that this could be one of the worst wildfire seasons on record.

Jeff

No worries for me. These fires are in our snow field areas. Summer is always dry in the mountains, but I can't remember fires at Thredbo before.

We know some firefighters that went there before to help. They are probably available now. :)

I don't think it's that bad just yet. The problem is when there are fires all over the place and the firefighters need rest and someone to relieve them

I have some gloves with the fingers cut out that I could send over. maybe it would help protect their hands?!! ;)

Is that Mae or Jane?

I think Mae would have lots but U Jane are soooooo conservative.

I don't think you have any globes with missing fingers, Jane!!

The only person I know who ever made provision for Peter was Clarks Cable's fiancee, Carol Lombard. Now there is a woman who would take Mae to tha edge and beyond.