There are many things I could say about intensity, having lived through the largest and most intense firestorm ever experienced in Australia’s post-European history. The intense raw emotion and feelings of loss, of home, environment, and neighbours, the intense sensitivity expressed as an overwhelming paranoia and anger to protect ‘our’ burnt bush from invaders with cameras, the intense love for this land, this lovely bush that has not yet recovered.
I have unearthed these photos of the bush, taken shortly after the Black Saturday bushfires here of 2009, in St Andrews, Victoria. The photos were taken around our paddocks and in the neighbouring National Park.
This time my pictorial story looks at the Australian bush after a fire where the ground burned for days, where old fern covered creek beds and tracks from the gold diggings of the 1850s became exposed and denuded, and where a false Autumn was staged by burnt umber gum leaves, highlighting the predominant colour, black.
More of my bushfire stories can be found here.
- https://almostitalian.wordpress.com/2014/02/04/in-my-kitchen-february-7-2014-an-anniversary-story/
- https://almostitalian.wordpress.com/2015/06/21/old-fashioned-blankets/
- https://almostitalian.wordpress.com/2014/05/04/sunday-stills-wildflowers/
ALMOST ITALIAN 
Crappy weather like we have today makes you think about horrible days like that one.
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Not quite but the wind is annoying.
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We sat through a flood in Brisbane a few years ago and watched houses, including ours,disappear under water. Australia is a land of harsh contrasts.
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Indeed it is.
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My gosh, I literally cannot imagine experiencing this. Despite being Sydney born and bred and growing up on the edges of National Park which goes up in flames each year, I have never had it endanger my life or property. I hope this summer is a calm one.
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I really hope so too. Every year from January through to March, we wait and monitor.
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I still have a hard time looking at photos from Black Saturday… something I hope we won’t have to go through again this (or any) summer… xo
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Yes, I struggle with it too, and have never watched the TV footage. I just can’t. But these photos popped up when I reverted to my old PC computer- they stared me in the face and they said- look at me and deal with it, so I did. It is still pretty fresh for me.
No, Jess, not this or any more summers. But we do know that it will happen again one day.
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I really admire your bravery Francesca, that’s so strong of you… I think if I’m honest, I haven’t really dealt with it yet.. now that we’ve moved away from that area it might be a bit easier.. always in our hearts and minds though
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Were you living near this area at that time? I know you live near Preston now.
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Yeah, we moved a few years ago, but we were living a LOT closer at the time… I hope we have a safe summer this year and that everyone out that way stays safe!
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Well those pictures certainly are intense. I have relatives living in Sydney and now and then hear about the bush fires…
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Yes, intense heat, intense tragedy.
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The beauty of such cruelty. I hope we and everyone else never have to witness and endure such devastation, injury, loss of life and emotional scarring again. Luckily we weren’t directly impacted by the fire (apart from the fact our son’s 21st was on black sat and no one could get to it!) but have many family and friends in Gippsland who have struggled to reclaim their lives and homes since. A timely reminder of what summer can bring.
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There arr many folk around , Gippsland through to Marysville and Kinglake, as well as her in St Andrews, who haven’t quit got there yet. They may never.
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Sadly, so true. Hope no one ever has to endure such horror again.
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Great photos Francesca. Just goes to show that tragedy can be so close to beauty.
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Oh Francesca … I am so moved by this post. And saddened. Nature can be so very harsh.
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Very harsh indeed. I thought this time I would show the trees and bush, and how nature itself suffers. We have watched all sorts of off species take over- black wattles and burgen- species that may die back in time to let a more balanced bush re-appear.
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What a tragedy, the bush fires. Thank you for sharing this moving story. Hope your upcoming summer is beautiful and peaceful.
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. Thankyou. Its always important to keep an eye on the weather patterns and prepare early, just in case.
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I’ll never forget that day. I thought for sure that we would not come out of the fires (at Marysville) alive. It can be a cruel country.
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t was on of those days that we will never forget- like war, a national disaster of this magnitude marks you for life. Move on? I don’t think so.
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Those not affected by the tragedy of summer fires need a reminder that there is no room for complacency. You pics look grim, but you’ve been gentle on us. I hope Victoria’s summer is mild and damp!
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I also need to remind myself that it’s time to get organised now. I have lived through a month of close bushfire events in October before ( 2006) . Leaf litter to remove, dead wood to prune, all those little fire traps around the place.
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Hope this will not happen again now. Thank you for sharing.
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I hope so too Leya.
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I know smaller disasters befall people every day, and for them the experience is intense. But as the warmer and wilder weather comes round, I think “not ever again please be kind” because although I’ve fortunately never been affected the losses of those who have saddens me terribly.
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I don’t know what it was like for you – but I certainly empathize. Being an ex fire fighter I truly understand the devastation fire creates. And as a survivor of a natural disaster I also understand feelings of powerlessness, insignificance and re-traumatization. My thoughts are with you.
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Thanks Roly, and my thoughts are with you too.
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I’m never sure whether to select the ‘like’ button on things like this or not. It feels wrong, though I know it lets the person know you appreciated their post. I think of you often when there is a fire in Victoria. I can’t imagine living in a place with such a continuing threat. You write so often as if you have ‘recovered’ but I know these things are often wrapped up and put to the side until when/if we are able to process them. I’ll just tell you, I appreciated your post, very much. xxx
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You are so understanding Ardys. don’t think I will ever ‘unwrap’ that event, the scars are pretty deep and the adrenalin close to the surface. My little apres fire posts help me, but I also hope they serve to help someone else too. xx
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