I had planned to take Juno (my dog) on a short road trip before Christmas, but with many of our ’go-to’ destinations now burnt out or smoked out or under threat from bushfires we are going to stay put for now.

So far in NSW alone, 2.7 million hectares has burnt out this season. That’s a combined destruction perimeter of 19,235 kilometres.

There is some knawing reflective salience here around the fact that Ripley (our campervan) in her own fossil fuel burning way is responsible in a sliver-small but no longer insignificant part in the collective mess we are all experiencing right now.

I also imagine the current situation is having a huge impact on the tourism and hospitality sectors in bushfire impacted communities with many other RV road travellers also adjusting or cancelling their trip itineraries due to the fires.

Normally we would consider getting out and about anyways to help support some of these smaller towns. But with ongoing predicted high temperatures and risk of yet more fires to come, I think we will hunker down at least until the weather cools off a little.

Ripley remains in hibernation for now.