BTW:
I am not in any danger of the bushfires - the nearest one is about 10km away, so I'm more in danger of being choked to death by the smoke and ash, than the fires themselves.
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/National/story_43378.asp
Fires started deliberately: govt
Listen to Audio
Bushfires ringing the metropolitan Sydney region had definitely been started deliberately or by acts of negligence, NSW Emergency Services Minister Bob Debus said.
Mr Debus said the government was yet to receive official confirmation of the cause of the fires, however natural circumstances had all but been ruled out.
"But it is clear that the fires in the Sydney area have not been started by lightning," Mr Debus said while touring the bushfire-affected area of Glenorie, in Sydney's north.
"It is clear that they have been started at least for the most part by some kind of human action.
"Whether it be negligent or malicious, we can't be sure yet."
Mr Debus inspected the ruins of the Johansen family home at Glenorie, destroyed Wednesday by a devastating bushfire.
Earlier, Sandra Johansen said she, her husband and a friend were trapped in their home while just outside, five firefighters huddled inside their fire truck as flames raged around them.
All were saved when two more firefighters appeared, carrying the eight to safety in another vehicle.
Hers was one of at least 15 homes razed at Glenorie yesterday as bushfires raged around Sydney.
AAP 2002
I just watched this on the news :
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/National/story_42281.asp
Home destroyed in Dural
Another home has been destroyed by bushfires sweeping through Sydney's north-west.
A home in O'Haras Creek Road, Middle Dural was destroyed and two others damaged as fires raged through the area on Thursday.
This brings the total to 17 homes lost across NSW in the past two days, according to the NSW Rural Fire Service.
Earlier, firefighters began evacuating residents in Cairnes Road, Glenorie as the blaze flanked the top of a ridge and flames jumped from tree to tree.
Terry Hills Rural Fire Service deputy captain David King said the bushfire, which had been raging at Glenorie since Wednesday, had jumped the Old Northern Road and was working its way behind houses.
"A dozen homes are under extremely serious threat at Glenorie," Mr King told AAP.
"(The fire has) come down into the valley at Glenorie at the Old Northern Road so they've got a lot of vehicles responding there.
"We've got trucks in behind all the houses doing property protection."
Thick black smoke enveloped the area as firefighters frantically fought to save the homes.
AAP 2002
