For anyone that doesn’t live in Australia, this country has been under attack from bush fires for almost 3 months.

They have burnt more forests than you could ever believe and as I type they continue to burn and all across the country.

Here in Canberra where I live we have up until the last few weeks have been immune to the rages of this years bush fire season however given that everything is burning around us it was a ticking time bomb.

And it was our turn. The fires have take out most of the Namadgi National Park and have come close the the urban fringes of Canberra.

People all across this country have been out helping others be it through boots on the ground fire protection, donations, supplies, putting people up in houses or emotional support.

Having been one of those people trying to help from afar and feeling very powerless to assist as the fires come closer to Canberra, I like many others put out the offer off assistance.

For me, that takes shape in helping rural landholder mates and others to understand the fires but also be part of their active fire team to defend their properties when and if the fire reaches their boundaries.

The other part of this is to be able to photograph the fire as it moved and shaped around the landscape, allowing them to understand fire moments and when they might be impacted.

In helping these farmers it also gives me exclusive access to view points that most of the public is not allowed as the entire rural south of Canberra has been blocked due to safety concerns.

I have a few different photos of the fires that are happening as I type but I wanted to share this photo with you as it seemed so comforting watching it move and shape its way around the hill that it is hard to remember the death that this fire is bringing to the landscape and the native wildlife.

For the locals this photo was taken the night of the 2rnd of February 2020 from Tharwa facing the fire that was moving on the north side of the fire and into Corin dam.

Talking with the locals that have both lived in the area for many decades and have been in the fire service for many decades they say the risk of this northward moving fire has the potential of moving from the rural landscape into the urban interface and causing loss of houses and property.

Will that come true, who knows but what I can say, sitting back and watching this fire at night and from a distance has given me a new found respect for the fire but also the beauty that it brings, though things like the night fires but also the rejuvenation of life with the bush land after the fire.

Right now the night time allows us to take stock, and look at the positive side before the daylight come where we know so will the destruction of bushfires.