The country (out there) is burning

The bush is burning.

The Upper Blue Mountains has the worst fires.

See this ABC news report.

And this updated story.






Sitting on my green hillside, where all the local countryside is green as green can be, it is hard to realise how dry the bush is. But look at the sky folks.

That pall of smoke hanging over the Southern Highlands is coming from fires in the rough, inaccessible countryside, beyond Canyonleigh, a mere 50 Km from us.

This fire is down in the Wollondilly River which is wild and inaccessible, and very very dry.

After all, Goulburn, on the Mulwaree River is in the headwaters of the Wollondilly River catchment. Goulburn is famously in drought, and has been so for 5 years at least.

The Pejar Dam (above) was apparently officially declared empty on 21 April this year (according to Wikipedia).

So, it is with some bemusement that I heard this morning that the NSW Premier, Morris ("Nero") Iemma is going to Goulburn tomorrow for a drought forum as requested by the local Mayor, Mr Paul Stephenson. (see photo at left).

One would almost swear there was an election in the wind.

Oh no, that's smoke, folks, in the wind. Real smoke.

The country is burning, while "Nero" fiddles about with NSW State Politics. Goulburn has been in drought for five years.
And now Iemma deigns to visit them?

Amazing!

Would that have anything to do with the Mayor of Goulburn/Mulwaree standing as an independent candidate against the high profile Liberal Party Candidate for Goulburn Pru Goward?

I wonder.