The day it all changed.....
First of all we got some phone calls from friends asking us if we were OK- and warning us that the fire was close. We went to the top of our track and could see the flames- but it looked like it was quite a long way from us. We felt confident that the bombeiros would be on it- and tried to keep calm. Then the power went out- which left us in the dark. We monitored the fire from our track- and it seemed to be getting closer- so Paul drove up to the village to see what the situation was. It was clear then that the fire was massive- and moving fast. We had no option but to get out of the house. It was already at the top of our road and the strong winds were fanning it out of control. The water had gone off with the electric- so we had no option but to try and get out, and get safe. We grabbed the dogs and evacuated the house up to the village square. I couldn't get the cat - I saw her but she wouldn't come to me and disappeared, and I felt so upset that I had let her down by not taking her with us, but hoped she would find safety under the house (miraculously she was here to greet us on our return, we think she hid in the boulders somewhere).
Paul went immediately back see if he could do anything- the bombeiros were at the top of our road and the flames were beating them backwards towards the village. There were two active fronts raging through our property
We spent the night in the village square surrounded by fire and smoke and the sound of explosions. Everywhere you looked on the horizon were banks of fire.
The following morning we came back to devastation. We are very lucky that our house was standing there, but everything outside the house had gone. Our cabin (my soap business), the digger, machinery and tools (Paul's business), the log shed (which we had literally just finished filling!). The gardens and orchard gone, the poly tunnel, the chicken house, hottub, our old Landrover (ploddy), tippertruck, tractor, and also my beautiful beetle.
Everywhere for miles has been hit the same- telegraph poles and power lines across roads, burntout cars and houses. Everyone we've spoken to has been effected, lost livestock, property, vehicles and businesses, and across the area many people injured and worse.
We spent the night in the village square surrounded by fire and smoke and the sound of explosions. Everywhere you looked on the horizon were banks of fire.
The following morning we came back to devastation. We are very lucky that our house was standing there, but everything outside the house had gone. Our cabin (my soap business), the digger, machinery and tools (Paul's business), the log shed (which we had literally just finished filling!). The gardens and orchard gone, the poly tunnel, the chicken house, hottub, our old Landrover (ploddy), tippertruck, tractor, and also my beautiful beetle.
Everywhere for miles has been hit the same- telegraph poles and power lines across roads, burntout cars and houses. Everyone we've spoken to has been effected, lost livestock, property, vehicles and businesses, and across the area many people injured and worse.
So now we're here trying to take it all in. It's so strange that everything outside our house has just gone- we didn't have a broom or a hosepipe or a wheelbarrow to enable us to start the big clear up . Power was out, our water off, and no phone/internet. The fire had travelled underneath the house- through the basement- so all the plumbing had melted and we couldn't even flush a loo!
The windows have all cracked and the fire started burning the front door- but amazingly didn't manage to get in, so things could have been very much worse.
We are trying to think positively - things can be rebuilt, replaced and replanted.
We are counting our blessings that we and the pets and our house are OK.
We are trying to think positively - things can be rebuilt, replaced and replanted.
We are counting our blessings that we and the pets and our house are OK.
Thank you to everyone for the messages of support and help, and love to all our other friends who have been effected.
Xx
Xx
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