Although its not as hot as it was yeterday but fresh spot fires in west Pymble, north Turramurra, south Berowra, and parts of Mount Ku-rin-gai played havoc stashing away 900 hectares of bushland! Fortunately there hasn’t been any property damage. F3 has been paralysed most of today and the Pacific Highway has been closed off and on and at times the traffic queue has been as long as 10 kilometers long!! There were fewer trains between Sydney and Newcastle. There were lots of birds out, surely more than normal and a big Iguana on Arthur Street… the cabby almost ran over it… it was roughly a meter long. Wish I had my camera handy.

Up until seven this evening I could hear the choppers going up and a few of the huge water-bombing helicopters plying along to contain the fearful flares. Emergency welfare centres have also been set up for stranded motorists. But all is starting to return to normal and the temeratures is down to 20°C (in Gosford) as I write this. A thankless job to those brave selfless fire fighters.