# It Must Be Christmas - Sydney is on Fire Again **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 4, 2002, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-must-be-christmas-sydney-is-on-fire-again/140543 "2002-12-04T22:54:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-must-be-christmas-sydney-is-on-fire-again/140543/21 "2002-12-10T05:35:03Z")
Uh OH …Now you have floods!!! That was a badly timed post. ---
**Author:** ![reprise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@reprise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reprise)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-must-be-christmas-sydney-is-on-fire-again/140543/22 "2002-12-10T05:40:49Z")
Nah, it’s only local flooding due to the run-off. It’ll take a few days of rain like this to even make a dent in the water supply problem. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-must-be-christmas-sydney-is-on-fire-again/140543/23 "2002-12-10T05:56:02Z")
We need to somehow find a way to combine the weather of both downunders…you would have the rain you need and we would ocassionally see blue sky. ---
**Author:** ![Ace\_Face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Ace\_Face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace_Face)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-must-be-christmas-sydney-is-on-fire-again/140543/24 "2002-12-10T06:12:03Z")
Here’s a MODIS image of the fires (three days old): [http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db\_date=2002-12-07](http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2002-12-07) Pretty scary lookin’… I hope the rains continue. ---
**Author:** ![reprise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@reprise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reprise)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-must-be-christmas-sydney-is-on-fire-again/140543/25 "2002-12-10T06:18:29Z")
Hell, it’s freaky when realise just how big those smoke blooms were to be visible from that far above us. ---
**Author:** ![woolly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ebca7d/32.png) [@woolly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woolly)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-must-be-christmas-sydney-is-on-fire-again/140543/26 "2002-12-10T12:12:40Z")
Nearly 24 hours of steady, sometimes heavier rain. Widely spread, ideal to soak in. Am at the back of the house under a corrogated iron roof, sounds bloody marvellous. We need another couple of days before we see significant run-off to help with water reserves. It’s certainly quenched the fires for a couple of weeks. Follow-up within the month is important. BTW **calm kiwi** , if you’re interested drop into G’Dope. \*\*Ice Wolf, kiwimanx371, zephonith \*\*et al are always on the lookout for fellow Aucklanders. ---
**Author:** ![auliya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/90db22/32.png) [@auliya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auliya)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-must-be-christmas-sydney-is-on-fire-again/140543/27 "2002-12-10T13:09:06Z")
It is awful everywhere ☹ Two weeks ago my son’s primary school and the high school next door were evacuated as a bushfire came right into the school grounds. Tonight we had a violent storm with high winds and buckets of rain and local flooding. And we are nowhere near Sydney, but on an island just north of Brisbane. ---
**Author:** ![robinc308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@robinc308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robinc308)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2002, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-must-be-christmas-sydney-is-on-fire-again/140543/28 "2002-12-10T23:05:33Z")
Bring on the rain. Here in Melbourne, it’s been cold all week. I don’t know what that’s about. We’ve had a bit of rain too - but not nearly enough. We’re already on water restrictions (I hear you’re about to have them imposed in Sydney). This country will break your heart. And this summer will break many before it’s out, I reckon. There is virtually nowhere on this continent that is not tinder dry, the Sydney fires are only the beginning, I fear. But much as she’ll break your heart and kick you while you’re down: drought and then fire. And much as you pray for rains that don’t come - and when they finally come they bring flood. In spite of all that, you can’t help but love her. She gets you every time. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-must-be-christmas-sydney-is-on-fire-again/140543/29 "2002-12-11T00:18:35Z")
Well said, **robinc308**. Of course, looking at your post title, I get the urge to post a [link](http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/3211/mackellar.html) to the famous Dorothea MacKellar poem, _My Country_. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-must-be-christmas-sydney-is-on-fire-again/140543/30 "2002-12-11T00:39:17Z")
Yes Austrailia is a lovely place but _must_ you win **everything**?😉 Thanks for the invite **woolly**. I will be sure to pop in. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-must-be-christmas-sydney-is-on-fire-again/140543/31 "2002-12-11T00:41:43Z")
oooooops ---
**Author:** ![robinc308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@robinc308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robinc308)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-must-be-christmas-sydney-is-on-fire-again/140543/32 "2002-12-11T05:09:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by calm kiwi \* > \*\*Yes Austrailia is a lovely place but _must_ you win **everything**?😉 > \*\* Yes. It’s hard not to. I mean have you seen the English cricket team lately? (by way of example) ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-must-be-christmas-sydney-is-on-fire-again/140543/33 "2002-12-11T05:41:57Z")
But just please let us win something!! yes England well deserved to lose! ---
**Author:** ![Maxxxie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@Maxxxie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maxxxie)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-must-be-christmas-sydney-is-on-fire-again/140543/34 "2002-12-11T11:02:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by auliya \* > \*\*It is awful everywhere ☹ > > Two weeks ago my son’s primary school and the high school next door were evacuated as a bushfire came right into the school grounds. > > Tonight we had a violent storm with high winds and buckets of rain and local flooding. And we are nowhere near Sydney, but on an island just north of Brisbane. \*\* auliya - I drove right by that fire. I was out at Bribie doing a computer fixup… I drove by the forest to get there… and a scant 50 minutes later, returned the same way to find the whole thing up in flames. The local firey (a guy in a ute) was backing the hell out of that forest as fast as he could. I can’t blame him. 20 minutes down the road, I passed the fire trucks (presumably from Caloundra?) heading to the fire. How much damage was there? Max ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Burnt\_Sugar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee59a6/32.png) [@Burnt\_Sugar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Burnt_Sugar)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-must-be-christmas-sydney-is-on-fire-again/140543/35 "2002-12-11T12:48:29Z")
Grrr… South has bushfires, North has wild storms. Country in drought. And I bet the rain isn’t going where it needs to go. It has been pelting down here the last two nights, which is good, but we’re in suburbia, we don’t need rain. I wish we could collect it all and send it where it’s needed. I’m glad everyone and their possessions are okay. (For now. :() I could start a pit rant on the stupid people who start these fires, sometimes even deliberately. WTF?! NB: I think this has been my least structured post, but you know what I mean! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![robinc308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@robinc308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robinc308)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-must-be-christmas-sydney-is-on-fire-again/140543/36 "2002-12-12T01:30:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Blue Curls \* > \*\*Grrr… South has bushfires, North has wild storms. > \*\* And if you go south far enough you get snow. SNOW! In Victoria. In summer. What is the world coming to? It’s probably all melted now though. ---
**Author:** ![auliya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/90db22/32.png) [@auliya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auliya)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-must-be-christmas-sydney-is-on-fire-again/140543/37 "2002-12-12T06:33:15Z")
**20 minutes down the road, I passed the fire trucks (presumably from Caloundra?) heading to the fire. How much damage was there?** I think from Caboolture/Morayfield. Fortunately no damage, although it was close to the Caltex service station and power was lost for some hours. We were actually at the first showing of Harry Potter at our small local cinema when the proprietor came and said -sorry folks, power is gone and the schools are being evacuated. Eeek!! I drove back home through it as well. I was very glad my 9yr old was having a ‘mental health’ day ☹ The kids all fared okay, other than some panic and asthma from the smoke. The schools escaped with just vegetation burnt. The primary school has had a nightmare few weeks, first with the death of two children in an apparent botched murder suicide, then a week later the fires. Thank goodness holiday start this weekend. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![auliya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/90db22/32.png) [@auliya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auliya)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-must-be-christmas-sydney-is-on-fire-again/140543/38 "2002-12-12T06:46:13Z")
Sorry everyone, I didn’t do that quote properly. Maxxxie - amazing - its a small world, 2 SD posters driving past the same fire on a small island 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-must-be-christmas-sydney-is-on-fire-again/140543.md?page=1)