We have been taking calls off and on throughout the day asking if everything is Ok. Its heart-warming, and slightly embarrassing, as we are untouched by the Maiden Gully Fire. The fire started on Bracewell Street, which is officially Maiden Gully, but closer to Eaglehawk. Its between 2 and 3 k from here. Anyone who attended the last Easter 3 days in Victoria will know the area. Its the road on the western edge of the New Saint Mungo map, or through the middle of the Devonshire Reef map. We received early warning from Aaron Dodd and Sophie Barker who were travelling to Marong from Boort for a wedding reception. Their phone call alerted us, so out we went and started laying out the hoses, filling the water containers and donning the appropriate clothing. Aaron and Sophie turned up to help defend if it was required, so we had a professional on hand (Aaron works for DSE and volunteers for the CFA). The early threat messages started on the radio and it became known as the Maiden Gully fire.
But our part of Maiden Gully was upwind of the fire. It burnt away from us, through New Saint Mungo map, and then through St Justs Point and California Gully. We quickly realised we were out of the path of the fire's direction before and after the looming cool change, so stood at our front gate and watched the smoke, not fully understanding how serious the situation was closer in to Bendigo. The power went off, and Ceira and I drove to find a supermarket with power and cold food. That meant a longer drive than expected, and as we approached Bendigo we went through a series of diversions. The last two photos were snapped by Ceira and we started to get a sense of the seriousness of the situation.
The Primary School grounds used for the Easter Prologue seems to have survived. I was in the middle of mapping the area for a looming street event. It ended up within a couple of kilometres of the centre of Bendigo. No-one knows who of our friends and acquaintances has lost their homes. There are constant messages against sight-seeing, so its best to keep away. Ceira has made contact with a school friend in there, and the report was of far more homes destroyed than was being reported in the media at that stage.
It is sobering to think how quickly this happened within the urban area of Bendigo. I am confident no-one in there would have believed this possible until they saw it. I didn't.