General Discussion Thread

[catbirds]

Can we call a mod or admin somewhere to check?

I don't know how roles in this forum work, but it's the only difference I could think of between your account and everyone else's Also, it wouldn't make too much sense for it to be in the group membership page, since you wouldn't have access to the mature board if that were the case.

[Róisín]

So far as I know I can still reach the mature board. Just a weirdness, I guess. Not to worry, if that is the worst thing that happens all week I am still well ahead of the game.

[Keep Looking]

Can we call a mod or admin somewhere to check?

I don't know how roles in this forum work, but it's the only difference I could think of between your account and everyone else's Also, it wouldn't make too much sense for it to be in the group membership page, since you wouldn't have access to the mature board if that were the case.

I'll have a poke around in the roles and see if any issues appear to me! Honestly the role system on this website is a bit of a tricky beast, so it wouldn't be surprising if some kind of issue had some up.

[Róisín]

News from far South Australia: The Mount Crawford/Ironstone Road bushfire, which is happening in the forest about 5 miles/8km from our place is now listed as ‘contained’. I should hope so, last bulletin I heard there were eight firetrucks and four waterbomber planes on it. We should be okay, though I am concerned for friends whose farm is very near the fire. Waiting to hear if they are alright.

[thorny]

Hoping with you, Róisín.

[Róisín]

The Mt Crawford Forest fire is listed as ‘safe’, but the one at Springton, about the same distance away but to our north rather than to our west like the last one, is still going. Last I heard there were 28 fire engines still on it, but it is listed as ‘contained’. Wish us luck. We have a place to evac to if needed, but Star is not officially supposed to drive until he gets clearance from some medical tests on which he is currently waiting for a result. The doctor told him to drive anyway if he has to, but it’s a worry.
Wish us luck!

[thorny]

Thanks for update, Róisín; and wishing you luck indeed!

[Róisín]

Springton fire is now controlled, so we should be okay. In the end it took 23 loads from waterbomber planes to get it under control and the firecrews will be mopping up and chasing embers for days, but for the moment we are okay. As for my friends with the farm in Crawford Forest, they are safe too, the fire made it as far as their front fence but no further. We have been lucky this time.

Now we just need a break from my state’s rush of record number of Covid cases - 80 new ones yesterday, which is the highest of this outbreak. I don’t think that ‘opening up the economy’ and staging a big cricket game was worth it.

[JoB]

As for my friends with the farm in Crawford Forest, they are safe too, the fire made it as far as their front fence but no further. We have been lucky this time.

"Front fence" ... what size of farm (and fence) are we talking about?

(Nonetheless, good luck with it all.)

[Yastreb]

Now we just need a break from my state’s rush of record number of Covid cases - 80 new ones yesterday, which is the highest of this outbreak. I don’t think that ‘opening up the economy’ and staging a big cricket game was worth it.

NSW had 2,200+ new cases yesterday and Victoria about 1400+ (if memory serves)... I think 80 new cases as the highest of the outbreak is an enviable record.

[Róisín]

Yastreb, I think we have been lucky there too. I hope not too many people got infected at that cricket match, or will be infected at Christmas parties.

Job, no, the DogFence is a long way west of here. Their farm is about fifty acres, so pretty small. And their fence is just the standard post and wire type along the road.

[thorny]

Fire at the front fence seems really scary. Did they evacuate? Do they have livestock?

ETA: really glad it stopped there!

[Róisín]

They have livestock, which they had moved to a safe area while they defended the house. The CFS trucks had made a stand at the road, as is a fairly common practice, and the family concentrated on putting out spot fires from the embers blown across the road before they could develop into bigger fires. Between the two groups they saved the house. There’s a bit of damage, but they did also manage to save the heritage vegetable garden which is the pride and joy of the young adult son of the household. They wouldn’t evacuate, since they had all the right equipment to fight a fire, a good clear area around the buildings, and knew what they were doing. It probably helped that they have a large garden of succulents and cacti between the house and the road - one of the family is a collector, and likes to display her plants in a way that also enhances fire safety.

[thorny]

Makes sense. Seems that they had the place designed to be defendable against fire; and, as you say, knew what they were doing.

[Róisín]

In the bush it is always sensible to have clear areas near the house, roof sprinklers and good solid hoses, and a water supply independent of our rather erratic mains water as well as pumps not dependent on our even more erratic mains power supply. Even where I live, which is on the edge of a small bush town in SA, it is not unusual to have days-long power outages, and hours-long outages are common. I am very glad to have finally got most of the money I need to get my guttering and rainwater tanks repaired after the storm damage of the past few years. I will feel a lot safer with two tanks full of rainwater.