Bridgetown Town Hall 10am Saturday 17th January 2009.
Concerned looks. Agitation. Fingers held up to mouths. Nervous chatter. Information exchange flying back and forth as rumours are updated. The noise grows as the Hall fills. Stacks of chairs are brought in trolley by trolley until the back row becomes the middle.
We are all here to find something out, but we don’t know what exactly that something is. Will be. Worried glances fill the room as people search out those familiar to them, anxious for more news. Knowledge is power. Maybe.
Rubbing of chins, arms held close to the chest, absent minded smoothing of arms, chest, neck, cheeks, lips.
It seems as though most people here have something to say, although there are a few who sit in quiet contemplation, waiting for the announcements to begin. I think of the people who are not here because they are at home defending their lives and property, and of those who are not here because they are out fighting the fires, or coordinating information and manpower. Looking around the Hall I get a sense of this situation being one of the few times when the sense of community becomes palpable, embodied, something you can see.
The Hall continues to fill, people line the walls and it’s now standing room only. More souls hover at the entrance. The P.A stands forlornly unattended at the front of the room, the microphone silent and unapproached. The space is filled with sound, but soon there will be only one voice speaking, to a hushed audience. What will we hear?
Quiet Please. Dead silence.
First speaker comes to say this is an information session only, that a public debrief will come later. He tells us that someone else will speak shortly, then he leaves. Chatter resumes. The PA is not plugged in, the cord dangling forlornly to the floor and going nowhere. This seems particularly disorganised until I learn the town’s power is out. Speakers will have to shout from the stage and the crowd must remain silent.
Folk continue to enter the Hall, it is getting warm in here. Two men hover at the front table. Brian Moore speaks. He gives a synopsis of who will impart information this morning. He will say a few words, then the District Manager for the area in the department of Conservation, who took over managing the fire yesterday afternoon, will give an update, and then a representative of the police will speak. The information we receive is thus:
• The fire is not contained. It has spread north of the town, and is anticipated to go further north, towards Greenbushes and Balingup if the winds do not change.
• Although it has been through and left the Highlands area and Maslin Rd they are not considered safe, as fire could flare up again at any time.
• Burning trees on the roadside (eg: Peninsular Rd) could fall at any time. Take care on the roads and adhere to road closures: they are closed for community safety. Motorists advised not to use roads located in the Northern Quadrant of the area, especially near Hester. Honour road blocks, which will remain in place for 3-4 days until the areas are considered safe.
• Current Roads closed are:
o Maranup Ford Rd from Greenbushes to Brockman Hwy
o South West Highway from Bridgetown to Greenbushes
o Boyup Brook Rd to Greenbushes
o Any road will be closed on an as needs basis
• A map from FESA showing the fire movement will be updated on a regular basis and left inside the Town Hall for community information. If the Hall is locked, the map will be left outside.
• There is an effort to improve lines of communication vis a vis the overall picture, and co-ordination of the fire fighting effort has been moved to Kirup.
• Power outages have affected areas from Hester to Yornup. 50 Western Power poles are down in the area. There may be a delay restoring power to everyone, but they are concentrating on getting the town power up and running as soon as possible.
• The fire started Thursday 15th January, manpower was coordinated by local volunteers until Friday afternoon. The fire got up a major speed under hot North West winds, then the winds turned South / South East and drove it North, where it crossed the South West Highway very quickly. As of 10am it was in the Hester Cascades area. 90% uncontained. The arson squad are investigating.
• Current prevailing winds are pushing fire away from Bridgetown, towards Greenbushes and Balingup.
• ABC local radio is, for some reason, off air in the region.
• People wishing to volunteer their services please report to the Showground where a team is rostering support units.
Thus concludes the morning’s entertainment and everyone shuffles back out of the Hall amid resuming personal discussions.
I fill the ute with petrol, along with half of the rest of the town, and head off to the local supermarket along with the other half. I buy the last two of three mops, for putting out spot fires around or on the house, and some extra milk.
Mike has been to yoga, and bought the last generator from Mitre Ten. He spends two hours constructing it, while I make lunch, tidy the bombshell that has become our house, and attach handles to my new mop heads. Everything is still at the ready, and now we can rest. The day continues to heat up, the water bombers and helicopter continue to fly overhead, the wind continues to keep the fire heading away from us. I continue to hope that all my friends remain safe. Now we just wait and see.
