Under a Blood Red Sky: Photos of the Canberra firestorm

[Alexander's Horse]

Well boys, just been through one of the wildest 24 hours as a firestorm hit Canberra, see Case's thread for details. Up to 400 homes lost.

Here's a photo taken from the balcony of our house at about 4pm yesterday afternoon. We were in darkness from the smoke at that time with high winds blowing hot ashe on the house.

[Sava]

how did that crap start anyways?

[Seeker]

We get this kind of thing in BC some years, but usually not near big cities.

Water-bombing planes, helos, all hours of the day.

Check out the full moon, it'll be a Blood Red eye, gotta listen to some CCR.

I'd consider chainsawing some of the nearby trees, in a really hot fire they can sometimes explode like bombs and send burning pieces through the air.

If you're anywhere near.

Did they call up volunteers?

[Lancer]

Has it passed by, AH?

[Alexander's Horse]

For comparison, this what the view from the first picture looks like on a normal day.

[JohnT]

"I can't believe the news today... I can't close my eyes, and make it go away."

[Alexander's Horse]

Here's the normal view up my street.

[Alexander's Horse]

And here is the view around 4.30pm as the fires raced around the ridgeline behind our house. The hot ashe was spotting fires well ahead of the main front.

[Fiera]

Ashe?

[Inverse Icarus]

it'd be cool looking if it wasnt so tragic

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by Fiera
Ashe?

That's right ash - here it is hitting the windscreen of my car. It was falling like rain - but it sizzled when it hit the ground. There were burning and smoldering leaves fluttering down on our house.

I was going out in the car to get some emergency supplies - er - it seemed like a good idea at the time....

[chequita guevara]

I trust things are better now?

[Dinner]

That sucks A.H.. Was it any of your neighbors who lost their houses?

[Alexander's Horse]

Double post - more photos later

[Alexander's Horse]

Yeah things are better today, these are the worst shots from the crisis period, which was about 3 - 6pm yesterday. It was absolutely surreal. There's still a high thread subject to what the wind is doing.

This is a shot of the back garden. It was like night in the middle of the day. The camera makes it slightly darker than it was but not by much. It was very hot too, well over 35 (100f) - but it didn't seem hot to me because of the adrenalin I suspect - I was really "up", excited, it was like being on speed. I had to keep moving, doing stuff, couldn't sit still. I freaked Mrs Horse out with my upbeat mood