are you guys keeping an eye on the Victorian fires? Do you know if the Dandenongs are safe ? Have lots of friends in that area and am starting to worry. I heard today that a Birman breeder in Bendigo area lost her hubby and at least 1 Birman to the fires. I was there in the 80's when Dandenong was ablaze...was bloody terrible!!
Hi BB, I have lived in the Blue Mtns for most of my life, so a bit out of touch with Victoria, however if one thing I know of from home is that most communication systems will be down and people unable to contact the outside world to re-assure family they are ok,.
I was actively part of the 1994 wildfires that swept through our part of the BM's (and many others since the late 60's but the 94 ones were on my own without Dad) and our village was without electricity for about 2 weeks, and of course the telephone grid was completely down.
its standard practice that if the authorities feel a fire is heading a certain direction they will turn off the electricity to prevent the fire fighters from getting caught by live electrical wires.
I was able to keep my mobile charged from the car, although houses and animals were lost in the immediate vicinity. We also had a tradesman generator which my then electrician BIL connected to the house to keep the freezer and fridge going.
We were fortunately that our local council were able to shut off our roads to outsiders and it gave us all 2 weeks of ""peace"" "(to use that term loosely) to reflect, get drunk, and to pull ourselves back together again.
Hold onto the thought BB that your friends are most likely in the same scenario, shocked but well, coming to terms with what has happened to them and unable to sleep because of the fear of re-lights.
its an eariey time they will be going through, resentment at sticky becks driving through gawking and tempers do run high.
If you have a mobile number for them, try that instead of landlines.
Wow, just watched the news ; more deaths
There was a poster on here from Gippsland...Cuppa (?) who lives in that area.
He/she hasnt posted on here for a few months.
Hope they are okay as well ...
cuppa disappeared from here about the same time the Hunter Valley went through severe flooding a while back, which is in NSW.
I did email, but didn't get a response. If I recall correctly, s/he mentioned they were having to sell the cows ? and so I assumed perhaps they left the LSB lifestyle....?
I was there in the 80's when Dandenong was ablaze...was bloody terrible!! 
