Kirstenbosch~National Botanical Gardens S Africa
By Arlene
- 1 Jan, 2009
- 9 likes
~we arrived to find the whole of the hillside on fire and helicopters carrying water to the fire from a nearby reservoir~although we felt we had to have a look around you could not ignore what was going on and it was relief to see the flames dying out, although it took a while.
At one point it looked as though the wind was going to bring the flames down the hillside towards us but the helicopters were tireless in making loads of sweeps with these huge containers of water.
It wasn't quite what we went to see,we were expecting a ramble around the gardens! but a sharp reminder of how dry everything is and how careful you have to be.
Comments on this photo
~it was quite scary and you were aware of all the planting which was being destroyed!
1 Jan, 2009
Fire can be so scary....it destroys but also renews...Good picture, though
2 Jan, 2009
Oh I thought it was a photo of fire weed! You did mention it was a gardens. Just kidding. Fire is a very powerful and unrelenting source of destruction. From a spark to a flame to a out of control catastrophe.
Skippy is right new comes from the fire damage for the grasses and such but if there is anything man made its toast. The United States have sure had there share of wild fires with mass destruction of unimaginable proportions. Hundreds of homes gone lives lost just terrible.
2 Jan, 2009
That must have been frightening Arlene. A few days ago some of these hills near here were on fire.
2 Jan, 2009
A few weeks before we arrived in Capetown a tourist threw away a cigarette which fired the base of the mountain below the the cable car station with imminent danger to lots of property,wildlife and people.
A woman died on the mountain but I think they managed to get it out before it reached the residential areas.
When we were there you could see everything black and charred but with green tips at the end.Amazing!
It shows you can't afford to be careless!
2 Jan, 2009
This happened when we were on holiday in Spain once it surrounded us and there was only one way out , it is quite scary !
2 Jan, 2009
Us too Amy, the view we had from our place was all alight about 3years ago...the plane would dip into the sea and empty on the flames....scary!
2 Jan, 2009
Amy that is awful I have claustrophobia and I would be in panic mode. I was at a Billy Idol concert once and the crowd pushed everyone forward as Billy came out. I crushed the poor wee Asian girl in front of me. I ran out to the nearest exit when I got free and never entered back to that area. I panic in bed as I suffer from sleep apnea.
3 Jan, 2009
That was horrible PF , I don,t like crowds of people anyway , even in streets ........Did that insident cause you to suffer panics ?
Janey you were lucky it didn,t close in on you so that you lost your home ........
3 Jan, 2009
We were lucky Amy.....there was a main road between us and the mountain but also a petrol station. After that happened the Spanish authorities had regular clean ups in ditches by the road sides where there could be broken glass etc.
3 Jan, 2009
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Good photo Arlene. Reminds me of what it can be like around here in the summer time.
1 Jan, 2009