How are the Guzzi Riders in Oz?

[Jim Rich]

The news reports about the fires are bad, how are you all getting along?

[beetle]

It's not good. I personally know a few are currently under threat. Roper is on alert. Mr Bob has fires only 2 miles from his house. One bloke has lost his Le Mans. We're OK were we are.

[oldbike54]

 Keep your heads down mates .

 We live in such a connected world now , all of the places on that map feel familiar .

 Dusty

[Huzo]

My location is 15 km from Ballarat on Mark’s map.
We are safer here, but not immune. Our place is on the edge of the forest and we have had a few watch and act alerts, which are a little more benign than some, but one needs to be vigilant.

[Mr Revhead]

I'm in NZ and the effects of the smoke is visible here. Its insane.
I have friends near some of these places and pictures I've been sent look like some scifi other world stuff.

[beetle]

More than 9.9 million acres burnt. At least 9 lives lost, some of them were firefighters. Several people unaccounted for. More than 900 houses destroyed. More than 3000 buildings lost.

 

[GonzoB]

I'm in suburban Sydney where the risk is lower, but I'm right next to a patch of very dry bushland. If a fire starts then me, the wife and the Guzzi will be off quick smart!

The air is filled with smoke from surrounding fires almost every day now. Still, Victoria is much worse off than us.

Gonzo

[balvenie]

On the Sunshine Coast, we are perfectly ok thank you but thanks for asking

[LowRyter]

My location is 15 km from Ballarat on Mark’s map.
We are safer here, but not immune. Our place is on the edge of the forest and we have had a few watch and act alerts, which are a little more benign than some, but one needs to be vigilant.

Safety to you and your's and to anyone in harm's way.

[Pizza Guzzi]

Fires in our area but ok for now. Plenty much, much worse off than me. This won't end until we get widespread soaking rain !

Glenn.

[malik]

3 known total disasters so far - one has lost the house, sheds including the V11, Stelvio & Ural outfit, another managed to get most of the bikes out before everything else went up - house, sheds, cars, tractors & accumulated spares of all sorts. Another mate's house at least is gone (he's a firey, was probably busy fighting fires elsewhere at the time), details to come & haven't heard about the V7 & T3 yet. Yet another mate lost the shed with the LM in it, melted - he was lucky, the fires scorched the retaining wall next to the house, then stopped. So, there's likely more we haven't yet heard of.

The fires started probably around 12 weeks ago, and have been pretty much continuous since then from southern Queensland, down through NSW and around through Victoria to South Australia. Outlook is not positive as more & greater heat and strong winds are expected over the next couple of months, with significant rains unlikely.

[Dharma Bum]

Be safe out there, we're pulling for you.

[Murray]

On the Sunshine Coast, we are perfectly ok thank you but thanks for asking

WHS but not on the sunshine coast.

[malik]

A complicating factor this time of year - annual holidays - so the NSW south coast is invaded by holiday makers, mostly from Canberra, and the Victoria east coast by those from Melbourne, and that's where some of the current serious fires are. And holiday makers (usually with kids in tow) don't usually come with prepared fire & evacuation plans.

[john fish]

The sheer magnitude of the fires is easier to comprehend when a map of Australia is superimposed over the USA.



I found this map of fires in Oz.  Not sure if it's currently accurate.



Effectively, fires ranging from Florida to California.  From New Orleans to Montana.  Holy hell.  Good luck to all.

[injundave]

I am also in New Zealand where we have a huge smoke cloud covering much of the country. At 7.00am today I stood outside the control room at work and was able to look directly at the sun and see the whole disc. It was a pinkish colour and well defined. I have never seen it like this before in all my 69 years.

All Kiwi's thoughts are with our Aussie brothers and sisters across the ditch.

[Jim Rich]

The western US burns every summer but nothing like this.  Take care and good luck to all of you.  Praying that you get rains and relief.

[Murray]

The map exggerates the situation IMO.

[averb]

The map exggerates the situation IMO.

Here is a better one https://www.unorthodox.com.au/fire/#?p=-49.6427,89.9164,0.1263,-169.0095&z=4&s=cs&t=1577941215&v=1 that doesn't just show random fires scattered about the place

[Bobic69]

3 known total disasters so far - one has lost the house, sheds including the V11, Stelvio & Ural outfit, another managed to get most of the bikes out before everything else went up - house, sheds, cars, tractors & accumulated spares of all sorts. Another mate's house at least is gone (he's a firey, was probably busy fighting fires elsewhere at the time), details to come & haven't heard about the V7 & T3 yet. Yet another mate lost the shed with the LM in it, melted - he was lucky, the fires scorched the retaining wall next to the house, then stopped. So, there's likely more we haven't yet heard of.

The fires started probably around 12 weeks ago, and have been pretty much continuous since then from southern Queensland, down through NSW and around through Victoria to South Australia. Outlook is not positive as more & greater heat and strong winds are expected over the next couple of months, with significant rains unlikely.

Mal did Steve lose his house at Dargan? Have been worried about him.  I was working at Bell and Bilpin when the fire came through. Devastating. Now I'm stranded down the south coast with the road closed. 200 houses lost here on NYE and three deaths.

[malik]

Mal did Steve lose his house at Dargan? Have been worried about him.  I was working at Bell and Bilpin when the fire came through. Devastating. Now I'm stranded down the south coast with the road closed. 200 houses lost here on NYE and three deaths.

So they have you working at the pointy end, Bob. You and yours take appropriate care. Yes, I believe Steve lost his house at least. I'll try contacting him later today to find out more, his phone was working NYE.

[Bobic69]

So they have you working at the pointy end, Bob. You and yours take appropriate care. Yes, I believe Steve lost his house at least. I'll try contacting him later today to find out more, his phone was working NYE.

That's terrible but I suspected it would be the case as there isn't much left standing in Dargan. I saw him in Lithgow when I was working up there.  Please give him my condolences when you speak to him. I managed to get back to Sydney from the coast. Left at 2am. Back on shift tomorrow so will probably be back down there.

[Fnq1000]

Hello
In South Australia, the fires completely destroyed one Laverda owner’s house. His shed however was saved.

A heartwarming and tremendously generous response from the international Laverda Forum

https://www.laverdaforum.com/forum/index.php/topic,99686.0.html

Some of the footage is truely terrifying. As a past rural fire volunteer, I personally would have been inadequately prepared for fires of this magnitude.

Be safe people.

Cheers
Jason

[lazlokovacs]

best wishes to all... scary stuff indeed

[hzbloke]

Smokey in the main street of Beechworth and we are about 60 km from the nearest fire.

At present we're not at risk but as one of the fire fronts moved 30 km overnight it's too early to relax. The last major fire near here (2009) started about 2 km from my place but luckily the wind blew it into the forest where it burnt 74,000 acres and not into the town. All it takes is a change of wind.

I feel bad for the residents of Mallacoota (the place that has been evacuated by the navy) I was there about a year ago (hi GonzoB) and again a few months back. It is about 100% dependant on tourism and now the tourists are gone and may not be back for years. When the fires are over it would be nice if people would go for a ride to these effected towns and spend freely.

[jwinwi]

Pete Roper, perhaps one of the most infamous Aussies, contributed more to the collective technical knowledge of this forum than just about anyone. Can't seem to find him on the list of current Members but I wish him well in facing what must be horrific conditions far too close to his front door.

[beetle]

Pete & Jude are ready to bolt at a moments notice.

[balvenie]

Pete & Jude are ready to bolt at a moments notice.

That must be an awful feeling and I wish them well.

[oldbike54]

Pete Roper, perhaps one of the most infamous Aussies, contributed more to the collective technical knowledge of this forum than just about anyone. Can't seem to find him on the list of current Members but I wish him well in facing what must be horrific conditions far too close to his front door.

 Yes  , he has ...

 

Pete & Jude are ready to bolt at a moments notice.

 Real world friends the both of them . I think of you guys everyday because of the situation .

 Dusty

[GonzoB]

The fireys must be having a hell of a time today. It's early afternoon in western Sydney and the temp here just hit 46C (115F).

Keep the fingers crossed.

Gonzo