We have a week ahead of us where record temps will sweep across the most vulnerable parts of our country as far as bushfires go.... it will be a week where we will wait with fingers crossed that the worst will not come to bear.
I guess we all look to Victoria with concern after the last terrible bushfires... but I guess we never really thought Tasmania (that little island at the bottom) would be the one to burn first. I think what saved so many of these people is that they could run to the beach to escape the fires.
South Australia, parts of the Northern Territory and Queensland, Western Australia will record temps around 47C and above !!(they have already had weeks of temps in the low to mid 40C's and have a history of devastating bushfires).. and of course all states already have quite a number of bushfires burning.
Its all lining up like a powder keg ready to explode. And in so many states. Most areas are rated "catastrophic alert" not just with the temps and low humidity, but 70klm winds coming. (which as like a fan forced oven..or a blowtorch)
Queensland's south east looks okay for now (seriously... when you start being grateful for temps in the high 30C's to low 40C's due this week you KNOW there is something very wrong everywhere else) but the rest of Queensland is set to roast.
Celsius = Fahrenheit
40 - 104
41 - 105.8
42 - 107.6
43 - 109.4
44 - 111.2
45 - 113
46 - 114.8
47 - 116.6
48 - 118.4
49 - 120.2
Australia loses more people to heat stroke death than any other natural disaster... and I guess we take it for granted to protect ourselves (oh gods I become an overbearing mother during heatwaves... "drink water" "stay out of the sun") but the first and foremost concern here is to be so very aware of not making a spark, lighting a fire, etc. because while you can to some degree try to stay cool (and alive) there isnt much you can do if a wall of flame is heading your way. (YES! They are warning people to put their fire plans into effect and BE prepared but they are worried so many havent done it).
Fingers crossed for the next week.
And this isnt even the hot part of our year.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/lat ... es-police/
"But muuuum we will be camping by the beach!" I am being OgreMum blasting her with plans on what to do if they get caught in a grass fire while driving, or safety in the surf (as they are going to a non-patrolled beach!) 
As bad as the fires are, the second biggest story here is the number of people being swept up in rips... and even in patrolled "between the flags" beaches as the surf has been huge from a cyclone way way off the coast.
