I vaguely recall a movie quote about how the day you’re born is also the day you start to die. This image makes me think of that.

Australia burns in the summer. And this is an image of sunset on a smoky day. You’re looking down at my hometown. Except that my hometown is missing. That’s not its lights on the right.

The power stations that should dominate the landscape are missing too. You should be able to at least see their steam. But you can’t.

As the fires remove things from the landscape by covering them with smoke, we can think about how birth leads inevitably to death. I don’t think that’s overdramatic, considering this land and how well it knows bushfires. But I’m also not sure that’s a terrible thing. I think it might be quite beautiful, actually, because the end is also the beginning of what comes next. Whether I’m right or not I leave to you.

At the same time there’s a very pragmatic warning here. I write on this website knowing that not everyone who sees it lives in Australia. So if you’re visiting here or if you live here, please be careful about fire. This is my home. I have to live here. And it’s a beautiful place.

I don’t want it burnt down.