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Grandparents home succumbed to Aussie bush fires

mato

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So a few days ago, I received an email from a family member informing me that the firestorm that ravaged the Warrumbungle Range of northern NSW did in fact pass through my grandparents bit of property in the bush. In the words of a neighbor, "it looks like Hiroshima after the bomb." Luckily, they were visiting family on the coast and were not harmed, but it really is a shame considering their age and the beauty of the place. The house was built with mud bricks made by my grandfather from the nearby creek; there were three or four small orchards; they had a view of the nearby observatory from their back veranda; and the house was filled with all of their books, pictures, work, and products of their seemingly endless travels around the globe. It was really a beautiful, little place. The wildlife in that part of Australia is second to none. As a kid on my visits there, I can remember being woken up at the crack of dawn by emus pecking at the window, and the kangaroos, which had become so used to them, would simply continue foraging even if you were only within an arms length. Again, exotic flora and fauna of this region is without comparison.

As members of the scientific community, they do not seem terribly disheartened by the matter - since this is simply how the ecosystem of that continent works - but at 70 and 80 years old, the idea of starting over must seem exhausting, at best.


Here's an interview with them on the 7:30 report (they are interviewed at 4:20): http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2013/s3672522.htm


The Warrumbungles: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warrumbungles


With a rapidity that the United States could take a lesson from, the other morning they had an assessor at the property and the money for their policy was in their bank account the same afternoon. I think that is quite amazing.
 
I'm so sorry about this. I hope your grandparents will be able to recover from this terrible incident soon. :down:
 
Glad they weren't around when it went through.
Being a house fire survivor, I know how serious it gets when you're forced to try and find a way out. Wouldn't wish that upon anyone..
 
That's awful Mat. Best of luck to them and the family.
 
I hope your grandparents will be okay. Sounds like a pretty expensive house.
 
My heart goes out them them.... i remember seeing that volatile blue haze from the Eucalyptus trees filling the horizon.
Amazing how fast the bush fires can spread...
Your grandparents are impressive Mato, I admire their (and aussie in general) courage and dedication

Nothing like them (Bush fires) here or anywhere else i guess.
 
thats so sad i hope there able to get back to there normal lives as soon as possible
 
:cry: My thoughts and well wishes are with your grandparents. I really admire their outlook in the face of this devastating event in their lives.
 
I'm very sorry to hear about this. I know those bush fires can be pretty intense in Australia. I recall a picture of a fireman holding a water bottle up to a koala because its paws were burnt. I hope your grandparents can make it out of this trouble OK.
 
  • #10
Its very sad. Im a housefire survivor too, when i was a child. I lost 3 family members so i can understand the feeling you have right now.

Courage.


Maiden
 
  • #11
So sorry to here about this, I hope that they can rebuild quickly. I'm sure that the forest will grow back very fast - it has here where the black Saturday bush fires burnt.
 
  • #12
Thanks, everyone. They're very level-headed people and don't seem to be viewing the situation as anything other than a natural disaster. I'm sure everything will be taken care of quickly and smoothly.
 
  • #13
worse part is living in a hotel until the house get's rebuilt.
Well, that and losing all your worldly possessions.
 
  • #14
A very sad occurrence. I hope they can and do rebuild. Seeing an ecosystem recover from a fire is an amazing thing and it sounds like your grandmother is up for it. I'm glad they weren't injured and that the insurance money is already in their hands. They seem like wonderful people.
 
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