Fire Emergency Report 2

8:20 am
It is 32 degrees. The air is surprisingly still (given the forecast) but the day is  young and the media may YET get its promised "catastrophic" fire conditions. The RFS report for Blackheath on the "Grose Fire", presently has not changed for 10 hours: "Fire activity is starting to ease; the Great Western Highway may be closed at short notice; if you are in the area of Hat Hill Road or Pulpit Rock, you may experience increased fire activity, embers and smoke.

I can hear no fire bombing aircraft but I just heard some sirens from the highway. The smoke level is high albeit nothing like yesterday. I have finished cleaning out and flooding gutters and am now trimming any foliage too close to the house.  Right this minute I am taking a coffee/blip break. I shall check in again as circumstances permit.

I notice that the smoke haze brings a yellow tint to highlights. This is my neighbour's roof. No editing apart from a simple crop.

11:36 am
Winds have increased although, thus far, they remain reasonably gentle. The temperature reading from my front porch thermometer is 38 degrees. I am listening to ongoing fire reports from ABC radio in Sydney. Thus far the most urgent news of fire danger (in OUR part of the world) seem to centre around Lithgow and places to the near west of there. Lithgow is a half hours drive from here. This fire is truly immense. The Great Western Highway is now cut, west of Lithgow.

While the Gospers Mountain fire, which is affecting those areas above has received constant info updates on the RFS "Fires Near Me" site, our Grose fire information has not been updated for more than 13 hours now. This tends to suggest that the situation for us has not significantly changed. Part of me feels a little relieved but then I think about the poor unfortunates who are arriving at evacuation centres both from the Lithgow area and down south from the Green Wattle Creek fire. What a mess.

It is now too hot to work outside but I think I have prepared the property as well as is practicable.

UPDATE 12:00 noon ....... The Grose Valley fire info has now been updated. No significant change apart from road closures.
UPDATE: 2:00 pm ..... The Grose Valley fire has now been upgraded to emergency level for residents west of the Darling Causeway.

4:15 pm
I have just received a robot call to consider evacuation if I am not prepared and/or if my emergency plan calls for me to evacuate.  The temperature is 37 degrees. There is no smoke at all. There are also no falling embers. The wind varies in intensity and direction occasionally  gusting to quite high strengths. It basically looks like a pleasant clear sunny day for the most part. My neighbour is relaxing on his front porch with a beer.

Fire is attacking properties on the outskirts of Lithgow and approaching properties on the northern/north eastern end of town near Hat Hill Road and along Godson Avenue.  For the first time today I hear what seems to be distant water bombing activity now and then. Emergency vehicle sirens have been in evidence most of the day.

The highway is closed to all traffic except those attempting to leave Blackheath, Mt Victoria and Lithgow, although it may have been cut at odd times during the day toward Hartley and  Lithgow. The way to Sydney via Katoomba is clear.

An unending commentary on what is happening around us is coming from the ABC radio including phone interviews with Blackheath residents reporting what they've seen. We have reason to believe we are fully informed at this stage. We are fully packed with our essentials but we shall delay any attempt to leave until the situation changes, threatening  our safety in a way we had not allowed for. A cool southerly is predicted to arrive in about 45 minutes. It is anticipated that it may have the effect of blowing the fire north of town back upon previously consumed fuel which might weaken it considerably. Stiller, cooler conditions are predicted for tomorrow. If we get through today, Blackheath may very possibly be safe ... at least for now..