Sunday
Dear Elsie
One week – it’s been one week since we had that frightening Sunday afternoon. Today I walked to Glencairn and took photos of the charred mountainside, trying to figure out why some houses burnt and others were spared. Sunrise as I left.
The thatched guesthouse – nothing could be done to prevent this one. It was the first to ignite and was set alight by flying embers as the fire started. The thatch caught fire and it burnt from above. This house is far away from where the fire started and none of the houses next to it suffered any damage.
The direction of the gale force wind had something to do with which houses got damaged and which didn’t. It seemed it was blowing at an angle and the powerful energy propelled the flames towards the properties.
In the main body of the burn, the flames obliterated everything in its path. The fire was pumped by the wind directly up to the houses, causing flames to leap into the air, cracking windows and then blowing mercilessly into the house in the middle at the top (house with the curved balconies). It ripped through two floors. I think that particular house incurred its wrath because the blaze had gathered momentum and was at its fieriest worst. The house to its left had the lower windows broken by the force. Other houses in its path suffered a worse fate, razing two of them to the ground. How this one missed its fury is beyond me.
The two houses above this wooden one both had broken windows and suffered immense damage.
The house in the middle of the photo below seemed to be well protected by a solid bank of gabion baskets.
This section of bushes is closer to the quarry side of Simon’s Town Rd. It needs to be cut back. This is what the burn area looked like before the fire started.
It was a thought-provoking walk to be sure. I soon arrived at Glencairn, walked down the track and back up the hill.
Just to extend the walk a little, I walked up Hillside and home via Daisy Lane.
It was just over 5km. A good walk.
I spent the rest of the day at home. Raiku is settling but I am beginning to think more and more about getting a friend for him – we’ll consider that on our return from holiday.
Precious one.
My lessons from Luke continue.
Luke 17:10
So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”
It’s not about now – we are only passing through.
Keep the smile going.
God bless you.
In His Grip,
Gran xx 🙂