My daughter, her partner and my grandson live in an Area of Australia that is undergoing a heat wave and a spate of bush and grass fires. When we were in Australia, the heat was not extreme, and the fire danger was not high in her area. Since we returned home the area she lives in has been in a high fire danger zone and we are very worried. Worried but not concerned as I have every faith in their plan and their access to information about the fire danger.
A couple of days ago, my daughter phoned to say that they may have to evacuate their home because of the fires burning close to them. The fire was between them and the nearest town and the only place for them to go was up to the mountain. I looked on the CFA the Australian Country Fire Authority website and saw that the fire was large and they were on a Watch and Act warning.
As a parent and as a grandfather, my heart was in my boots, I knew I could do nothing, and the feelings of helplessness are not ones that I like. So we waited and within a day one of the fires had been contained, so my daughter did not have to leave her home. I was relieved but as the summer heat intensifies in Australia and the extreme heat continues, I will be kept on alert and will be checking in with the website every few days, rather than worry her with my concerns.
Climate change is a fact of life and with it comes more extreme weather, the science is clear, but because of politics and vested interests we are not moving as quickly to counter the issue, which I find sad and frustrating. My daughter and her friends in Australia, do not believe in Global warming and deny that it exists, and this belief is a strong one in Australia, and in the minds of some of our political leaders in Canada.
I hope that the summer heat gives way and that the area my daughter lives in is given some relief and that she and all of the people in Australia affected by the heat are and continue to be ok.
A couple of days ago, my daughter phoned to say that they may have to evacuate their home because of the fires burning close to them. The fire was between them and the nearest town and the only place for them to go was up to the mountain. I looked on the CFA the Australian Country Fire Authority website and saw that the fire was large and they were on a Watch and Act warning.
As a parent and as a grandfather, my heart was in my boots, I knew I could do nothing, and the feelings of helplessness are not ones that I like. So we waited and within a day one of the fires had been contained, so my daughter did not have to leave her home. I was relieved but as the summer heat intensifies in Australia and the extreme heat continues, I will be kept on alert and will be checking in with the website every few days, rather than worry her with my concerns.
Climate change is a fact of life and with it comes more extreme weather, the science is clear, but because of politics and vested interests we are not moving as quickly to counter the issue, which I find sad and frustrating. My daughter and her friends in Australia, do not believe in Global warming and deny that it exists, and this belief is a strong one in Australia, and in the minds of some of our political leaders in Canada.
I hope that the summer heat gives way and that the area my daughter lives in is given some relief and that she and all of the people in Australia affected by the heat are and continue to be ok.
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