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Saw a lot of action very close to where I live this afternoon...loads of photos to follow. This is about as close as I've gotten to a helicopter in the air. Taken with the 70-200VR however only about 15 meters away (if that)..many more to come:


















Not quite time to evacuate but pretty frightening:










The beach at the top left hand corner is North Curl Curl:

The aftermath:

Great pics Geoff - I am choking on the smoke here

reall good snaps geoff - hope yur howse is okay looks very close

wally wrote:reall good snaps geoff - hope yur howse is okay looks very close

Thanks for the concern Wally weese are ok!

Great series of images, especially #4 where the fireman is standing next to the "keep out" sign, very symbolic... And a timely reminder of the very real danger of bush-fires, hope all are OK...

The smell of burning eucalypts is certainly overpowering the tomato and garlic here in Leichhardt tonight. Great shots Geoff. Getting that close to the action boosts the adrenalin, doesn't it.

Cheers,

Sheetshooter wrote:The smell of burning eucalypts is certainly overpowering the tomato and garlic here in Leichhardt tonight. Great shots Geoff. Getting that close to the action boosts the adrenalin, doesn't it.

Cheers,

Sure does Walter - there are still quite a few choppers buzzing overhead...watch the late news and you will see some footage of it for sure.

I don't see, don't know, don't smell anything here

It almost looks as if there's a large wombat hiding in image 6, Geoff.

Great work. Hopefully it's not too close to where you are.

A few years ago Lindy and I were evacuated from the Snowy Mountains National Park while attending the Blues Festival there. This was the weekend of the horrifying fires that hit Canberra.

Geoff, glad to read you and Bel are ok, as Chris said we can smell the smoke from here. Are all the houses ok?

Gary, that must have been a frightening time to be in an evacuation, from memory the freeway was either cut off or close to being cut off?

Glen wrote:Geoff, glad to read you and Bel are ok, as Chris said we can smell the smoke from here. Are all the houses ok?

Gary, that must have been a frightening time to be in an evacuation, from memory the freeway was either cut off or close to being cut off?

Thanks Glen - fortunately for us the wind was blowing in the 'right' direction. As far as we know one house has been ruined.

Glad you are OK...... it is hard to stop a fire with the wind pushing it forward....

Glen wrote:Geoff, glad to read you and Bel are ok, as Chris said we can smell the smoke from here. Are all the houses ok?

Gary, that must have been a frightening time to be in an evacuation, from memory the freeway was either cut off or close to being cut off?

Actually, no.

From where we were, were it not for the true seriousness of the situation elsewhere, it was almost farcical. We'd just ordered dinner when the alarm went off. The restauranteur called in to find that they were only gatrhering people at the sports centre, which was across the road from our hotel.

We decided to wait for and then have our dinner while the authorities dealt with the gathering crowds.

We then checked out of the hotel and headed back to Jindabine, where there was no queue at emergency services, who helped us find a room for the evening.

Great eyewitness shots, Geoff. Thanks for sharing them, it gives us an idea of what the scene was like there today. Just looking at those flames, I can feel the heat.

Frightening and a just reminder...we back onto bush and a few years back we had hoses stretched out and bath tub filled. Great action pics.

Amazing shots Geoff and truely scarey stuff, I've more then once had to excauate (back in Batemans Bay) fortunely we always came back to our home, but its a terrifing experience.

One a different note, this are top notch, and I'd suggest trying to get them in print.

Great shots once again Mark... oh wait!

Awesome stuff Geoff, great that you had the PJ opportunity and stepped up to the plate! Nailed the lot of them.

Well done Geoff! Professional work and excellent pics.

Well I go to work for 1 week and I miss out on this??? BUGGER!!!

Excellent shots, apparently from the photos there was some serious heat in those flames, I am glad you and your family are OK, and I am thankful that you managed to get these shots!

Cheers

Scott

Geof, fantastic shots i know what this is like as being involved in country fire service for many years, was chosen to go to sydney near 10 years ago as a strike team but my boss would not allow it the wanker.

So great pics well done mate shows the danger of the beast.

BBJ wrote:Geof, fantastic shots i know what this is like as being involved in country fire service for many years, was chosen to go to sydney near 10 years ago as a strike team but my boss would not allow it the wanker.

So great pics well done mate shows the danger of the beast.

Thanks everyone for your comments.
I take my hat off to these guys who put their lives in real danger to help keep us and our homes safe!!

Geoff,

Some great shots. I was wondering if you made it out to take some pics, unfortunately I was in the office last night till 9pm.

The view from Nth Sydney of the sunset, amazing bright orange colours. Did anyone manage any Harbour Bridge shots yesterday arvo?

Cheers

That is a great series of shots Geoff. Well done

great shots mate... well done it's a good adrenalin rush isn't it

cheers