Victoria’s wildfires are being covered by the wire services internationally, so I feel no need to update you on this topic. Our newspapers are still running sections devoted to stories from the aftermath of the disaster that took 181 lives or more south of us and the (less lethal but still devastating) flooding that is receding now to our north in tropical Queensland. TV stations are still doing hour-long specials, too, and there are fundraisers all around for the victims.
We gave some money to the Red Cross for use in Victoria and bought groceries on Friday when both major grocery chains here were giving all their profits to that agency. But now, as much as I hate to admit it, we are experiencing a bit of overload. Perhaps it’s “compassion fatigue.” After a while, you just don’t want to read, hear, or watch another tale of horror.
It has reminded me, though, how lucky we were on New Years Day in 2006 when we failed to get the message about a ban on hiking in a section of Blue Mountains woods because of wildfire danger.
As we wrote in our Moving to Australia book, Sydney’s airport reported it’s hottest News Years Day ever at 115 degrees Fahrenheit, and wildfires south of that city destroyed property, animal and at least two humans. Many kilometers north, we had a great hike and were glad we hadn’t been told that the trails we hiked, over brushy peaks and down into wooded valleys, were empty for a good reason.
Having now seen what wildfires can do and how quickly they can move, I wouldn’t think of doing that again. No blazes broke out anywhere near us that day, but, for the sake of a glorious hike, we took risks beyond calculation.
The lesson we take from this month’s disasters in Australia? Relish ordinary life and be glad for food, shelter, family, and friends.
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