MattGlover.com

I went for a walk last night, and as I travelled up and down the hills in my community, I could catch glimpses of the huge clouds of smoke rising from the fires to the North East of the Valley. People were stopping to have a look, but mostly life just went on as normal.

Tonight seemed very different. As I type this, we are blanketed by thick smoke from the fires that seem to be burning out of control. Earlier this evening I was outside doing some work in the garden and everything seemed deathly still. The birds were silent, there was no traffic noise - nothing but a faint smell of smoke and the knowlege that not too far away the land was burning.

From the lounge of our house you can normally see the mountains of the Yarra Valley. Tonight you could see nothing but grey. I looking towards the fires when the sound of singing drifted past. Somewhere a group was singing ‘Joy to the World’ and then ‘Silent Night’. It was surreal to say the least.

Anyway, the papers say that this weekend is shaping up to be the worst in history for our region for bush fires. THe numerous fires that are burning now are predicted to join to become a ’super blaze’ with a front of over 100km. Last time this happened was in 1915 (I think) during the Black Friday fires. The only thing to be done then was to let the fires spread to the coast and burn themselves out. Nobody has suggested the same will happen this weekend, but I wonder whether there is any other possible outcome if the fires are so big.

Say a prayer for the men and women who will be fighting the fires this weekend and for the safety of those who live in the path of the flames.