Bushfires in Victoria

G'day maties
We're very sad and distressed over the massive bushfires that have devastated the state of Victoria here in Oz. D & B have friends in the area including Brooke, Greg, Charlie & Opy. Thankfully all are accounted for and safe. So many others were not so lucky. The last count was 173 dead, and this is expected to rise, nearly 1000 homes destroyed and god knows the number of animals that have lost their lives. It's heartbreaking and unbelievable. The stories that have come through are distressing. So many didn't stand a chance as there was just no time to escape.
Horrific stories of people trying to leave affected areas by car and being engulfed by the flames. Just horrible.
The sheer scale of these fires is beyond comprehension. Sadly they still rage and could take weeks to contain.
Whole towns are gone, once idyllic little communities are now just ash. So many families and friends hearing the devastating news they didn't want to hear. Their loved ones gone. Hundreds now homeless and simply left with what they were wearing and others critically burnt.
The whole of the south eastern corner of the country was warned that last Saturday was going to be hot and the risk of fire extreme but no one could see this coming. It came across so quick and from all sides. The people living there truly did the best they could but they were overwhelmed.
Some of the fires were started by lightning strikes. Unbelievably others were deliberately lit. God knows how anyone could do that.

We'd like to thank those of you concerned for our safety. We are well and truly far from the NSW/Victorian border and thankfully there are no fires burning in the Blue Mountains where we live.
Our airedale friends Baz & Ellie and their pinkies live on the outskirts of Melbourne. They are close but not under any threat at this stage. Brooke & Greg were very close to one of the fires but from what I was told the wind changed direction and the fire turned away from them.
Another close friend had the fire come to the boundary of her property. Thankfully they were able to save their house and their airedales.

Australia suffers bushfires every year. It's the nature of the place but none have come close to this. It is clearly Australia's worst natural disaster.

Noah Willow Tess & Lucy