The FastDay Forum

My heart goes out to all of you and to folk I don't know, and will never know, I really feel for you. I'm ashamed to admit that the only thing that gets me out of my house is boredom! I cannot imagine the potential horror for you, how do you sleep through this? I' m having nightmares for you, take care of yourselves, your families and your pets, hope everyone comes through with the minimum disruption, best wishes and hugs,

Ballerina x

Thanks gillymary, yes all OK up here - we don't even have smoke in the air like Sydney. 1 poor young man (63) up here was killed though, bit further north than me. I must say I sometimes worry that if I go into work, 1 day the M1 will be cut off by fires and I won't be able to get back to my minimals. I only have 2 trees and a large Dracaena ;>) so I should be fine.

Yes it's not nice down here but I'm please to hear that you don't have the really thick smoke to contend with. I've been thinking how awful the smoke must be up closer. I can only imagine how emotionally exhausting it must be. Sounds like you are well prepared which is about all you can do. Glad to hear you are all safe x

The smoke was really bad this morning. Just hearing sirens heading along the highway, here we go again.

Thinking of you all. Stay safe everyone.

Keep checking in so we know you're safe if you can, please {{{+}}}

Things are a bit calmer tonight as the weather is not too bad. Just hoping it stays that way. Thanks everyone for being so concerned.

Ditto. We're OK. Kids have the whole week off school so they're happy!

Woo Hoo it's raining

That's good. Hope it continues for you x

Excellent news

The whole thing must be so very tiring for you, we're not made to be on our nerves 24/7

Glad to hear things are calming down. Hope it keeps on raining

Reading and now writing from a dull (thankfully) corner of Wales, I can only say what other have said - more eloquently than me - that I hope you're all safe and that it'll continue to rain for you all.

My perceptions of Australia, never having visited (tho' I nearly got to Sydney when son was there, but I had to have an operation instead
) are that it looks every inch the perfect place to live (and I wouldn't be surprised to hear the family say they might emigrate, but I'll face that when/if it happens).

Stay safe and keep us all updated xx

Hi all

Not been on here since last week so was wondering how the Blue Mountains gang was getting along - when I saw the news of the fires my first thought was 'aren't there some 5:2-ers out there?' - really hope you are all safe and sound, sounds like a very scary time for you all. Just hope the winds and higher temps they are predicting don't turn it into anything worse than it is already. Your firefighters must be the most amazing folks (although we did have a chuckle this morning when watching the news as there was a fireman in the background of a news bulletin, SMOKING in the middle of the burning forest. Still, I suppose that's not going to make it any worse is it!).

Thinking of you up here in the mild but wet north of England - you are most welcome to some of our rain, we have more than enough here!

@julianna I tried to pm you but it wouldn't work. I wanted to make sure you weren't too stressed after today. Things went better than they thought. I will definately sleep better tonight.