I live on the outskirts of Sydney, right at the foot of the Blue Mountains, where most of the damage is being done. It's a surreal atmosphere; dull orange sunlight shines through the smoke that has settled along the streets. Looking further up you can see large areas of thick black and red smoke belching from the tops of the mountains, blanketing the sky in darkness. The constant sound of sirens can be heard, with lines of fire trucks squealing by every few minutes. Looking up at the sky you can see helicopters zooming along, large buckets of water dangling underneath them.
I went for a ride in my brother's car earlier, we drove up closer to the devastation but most of the roads have been blocked off. People dot the road-sides outside their houses, watching in awe at the approaching flames.
Yesterday our power went out for a few hours due to the bushfires. Lastnight the internet, cable TV and phonelines went down and didn't come back on until this morning. I hope they're getting it under control. It's much cooler today, and rain is expected after the weekend.
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