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What you're about to see
is not just a film about bushfires.
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00:00:07,083 --> 00:00:08,483
It's about resilience.
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00:00:08,523 --> 00:00:11,683
It's about power of help
and it's about hope.
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00:00:11,723 --> 00:00:14,643
It's about finding our way back
when we can't see a path
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00:00:14,683 --> 00:00:17,683
and it's about how we as a nation
galvanised
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00:00:17,723 --> 00:00:21,483
to face one of the greatest
natural disasters in our history.
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00:00:25,923 --> 00:00:29,963
From our incredible volunteer
firefighters who ran towards danger
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00:00:30,003 --> 00:00:33,043
to our wildlife warriors
who worked tirelessly,
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00:00:33,083 --> 00:00:36,043
you'll see bystanders
who became up-standers.
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00:00:36,083 --> 00:00:39,123
These stories are tough to tell
but important to share.
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00:00:39,163 --> 00:00:42,323
You will hear astonishing accounts
of bravery
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00:00:42,363 --> 00:00:47,003
but also of the devastating impact
these fires had on so many.
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00:00:47,043 --> 00:00:48,963
And to those of you still struggling,
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we hope you will take some comfort
in this film
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00:00:51,923 --> 00:00:56,083
and know that you are not alone
and that help is available.
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This is A Fire Inside.
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(THUNDER BOOMS)
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(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
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REPORTER: The terrifying scale
of Australia's bushfire disaster
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00:03:08,083 --> 00:03:09,683
is beginning to emerge...
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REPORTER: It's been labelled
the worst fire season ever recorded.
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REPORTER: There are
downright apocalyptic images
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coming out of Australia right now
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as the country's
battling hundreds of fires...
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(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
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GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN: We can't pretend
that this is something
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we've experienced before.
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It's not.
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REPORTER: Small towns
have been wiped out,
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properties, homes,
memories ablaze...
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REPORTER: An area bigger than
England has been reduced to ash.
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MAN: And we're not even at the peak
of the bushfire season...
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REPORTER: There's been no hiding
from these fires -
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horrific scenes
that have shocked the world...
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WOMAN: What was harder to see...
was the way people responded...
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WOMAN: Volunteerism is indelibly
marked into our Australian DNA.
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But this summer,
this took on a whole new meaning...
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(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
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00:05:11,603 --> 00:05:13,123
MAN: My join date's really simple.
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00:05:13,163 --> 00:05:16,203
It's 9/9/09 - 090909.
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It's hard to believe
it's been that long.
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00:05:18,323 --> 00:05:20,243
Like, I still remember being 16...
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00:05:20,283 --> 00:05:22,563
like, 16 years old
and watching you run to fires.
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00:05:22,603 --> 00:05:24,883
Like, we would stay up waiting
for Dad to come home, remember?
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We'd ask him all about it.
Yeah.
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And the last thing you wanted to do
was tell us all about it
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'cause you were knackered
and just wanted to sleep.
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I'll do that now.
You do do that now.
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The difference is
we're there with you now.
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00:05:34,363 --> 00:05:35,643
(LAUGHTER)
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00:05:35,683 --> 00:05:38,163
I remember, as a 16-year-old kid,
you know,
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watching my dad run out
to go and assist people
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and just thinking, you know,
"Man, I want to be like him
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"and I want to follow
in his footsteps."
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MAN: Made senior deputy
in our brigade.
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00:05:48,923 --> 00:05:52,243
Yeah, have been captain now
going on eight years.
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00:05:52,283 --> 00:05:54,763
You can see it, you know, generations
all working their way through,
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00:05:54,803 --> 00:05:56,403
right down to the sons
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00:05:56,443 --> 00:05:57,923
and you'll find probably...
And daughters.
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And daughters. And daughters too.
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Yeah, don't get me wrong...
And daughters. Yeah.
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Sometimes they'll have four
generations still in the one brigade.
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00:06:03,603 --> 00:06:05,963
We went out there,
we did an all-nighter
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00:06:06,003 --> 00:06:08,643
out at, oh, back of Bemboka,
the Yankees Gap.
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All we had was lollies and biscuits
and Mars bars and stuff
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and a heap of snakes and stuff.
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All good for you.
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All really good for us
till about 3:00 in the morning...
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(WOMAN LAUGHS)
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Then things turned to worse
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00:06:20,363 --> 00:06:23,083
and we all started getting
stomach cramps at the same time
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and all we could find
was a wombat hole.
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(LAUGHTER)
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Needless to say,
the wombat never come out.
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(LAUGHTER)
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00:06:31,483 --> 00:06:33,243
Oh, that's not OK. (LAUGHS)
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Neither was the rest of the crew.
(LAUGHTER)
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We are all fighting over
the wombat hole.
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You did not.
(LAUGHTER)
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00:06:39,883 --> 00:06:41,203
There's everything from...
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00:06:41,243 --> 00:06:43,603
You could've all stories
of saving houses and... No.
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00:06:43,643 --> 00:06:45,843
..pulling people
out of car accidents... No.
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00:06:45,883 --> 00:06:48,003
Instead, you decided to tell
about shitting in a wombat hole.
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Like, that's...
That's what it's all about.
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(LAUGHS) Oh, Jesus.
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(LAUGHTER)
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The RFS is the largest recognised
volunteer firefighting organisation
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00:06:57,403 --> 00:06:58,643
in the world.
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00:07:00,363 --> 00:07:03,363
Each state across the country
has a similar organisation.
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00:07:03,403 --> 00:07:08,843
There are more than 170,000 volunteer
firefighters across the country.
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00:07:08,883 --> 00:07:12,003
Most people have no idea
that they're not being paid
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but volunteers make up
90% of the firefighting workforce.
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00:07:17,563 --> 00:07:19,923
As you can see, they've got
different colour reflectors in them.
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This one here's made in Australia
at the moment
95
00:07:21,723 --> 00:07:23,323
and also this one's
made in Australia.
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My day job,
I work for a lighting company.
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As a day job,
I work for the federal government.
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MAN: I do a tow truck duty as well.
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I run my own graphic design
business.
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00:07:33,003 --> 00:07:35,843
I work for the local council,
myself.
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00:07:35,883 --> 00:07:40,283
MAN: My main job is to cut the fish
and process the fish.
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MAN: One of the important things
to recognise,
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the RFS volunteers
are just everyday Australians.
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00:07:45,723 --> 00:07:49,163
You could just take a sample
of everyday people
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00:07:49,203 --> 00:07:50,283
walking down the street
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00:07:50,323 --> 00:07:53,083
and they would be reflective of
the people who then put on a uniform
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and go firefighting.
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00:07:54,203 --> 00:07:57,563
He had me light her up
and I lit her up with the drip torch
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00:07:57,603 --> 00:07:59,603
and my heart's pounding
out of my chest
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and I've got photos of us
having to jump back into the cab
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00:08:02,123 --> 00:08:03,883
with bright red faces
'cause we were so hot.
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00:08:03,923 --> 00:08:04,963
(MAN LAUGHS)
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00:08:05,003 --> 00:08:06,523
And that's why you keep
the aircon running.
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00:08:06,563 --> 00:08:07,723
(MAN LAUGHS)
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00:08:07,763 --> 00:08:09,483
MAN: I was a corporal in the army.
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00:08:09,523 --> 00:08:13,683
I did want to join the police force
first but I was too short. (LAUGHS)
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00:08:13,723 --> 00:08:16,483
At that time,
they still had the 5'9" height.
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00:08:16,523 --> 00:08:18,723
I'm 5'7",
so I was a bit short for that.
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00:08:18,763 --> 00:08:20,043
Just be safe.
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Listen to the instructions,
what you're being asked.
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Make sure we've got no little kinks
and stuff like that in there.
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00:08:25,403 --> 00:08:29,003
BRENDON: But when I left the army,
it left a big void in my life.
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00:08:29,043 --> 00:08:31,403
A bit of an adrenaline junkie,
I guess.
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00:08:31,443 --> 00:08:34,683
So, when my wife and I
moved out to Balmoral,
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00:08:34,723 --> 00:08:36,043
within a couple of months,
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I was joined into the brigade
and filled that void.
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While most people are running away
from the fire,
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we're running TO the fire.
129
00:08:51,883 --> 00:08:54,163
I've never met a person yet
that can understand
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00:08:54,203 --> 00:08:56,763
why we pay for ourselves
to go to these things.
131
00:08:58,163 --> 00:09:00,323
And I guess I can understand
where they're coming from
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00:09:00,363 --> 00:09:02,603
'cause it's not a normal thing
people would do.
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00:09:05,003 --> 00:09:06,483
NATHAN BARNDEN: How do you convince
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00:09:06,523 --> 00:09:08,963
thousands and thousands
of everyday Australians
135
00:09:09,003 --> 00:09:10,683
to go and stand
in front of something
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00:09:10,723 --> 00:09:11,963
that could potentially
take their life?
137
00:09:33,563 --> 00:09:36,203
BRENDON O'CONNOR: We'd been in
drought for nearly three-odd years.
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Locally, all of our rivers, creeks
were all dry.
139
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Most of the dams were dry.
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00:09:46,163 --> 00:09:48,243
We knew, by all indicators,
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that we were coming into potentially
the worst season we'd ever seen.
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MAN: 2019 was shaping up to be
Australia's hottest ever year.
143
00:10:04,163 --> 00:10:07,443
But it's also a season where
we were expecting to see cold fronts
144
00:10:07,483 --> 00:10:11,683
moving very quickly over the
south-eastern parts of Australia.
145
00:10:11,723 --> 00:10:13,123
That's the other missing ingredient,
146
00:10:13,163 --> 00:10:15,203
because for extremely bad
bushfire conditions,
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00:10:15,243 --> 00:10:16,963
you also need to have strong winds.
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00:10:17,003 --> 00:10:20,043
(THUNDER CRACKS)
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00:10:21,403 --> 00:10:23,283
SHANE FITZSIMMONS:
This was one of the earliest starts
150
00:10:23,323 --> 00:10:24,763
to the fire season we've ever seen.
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00:10:24,803 --> 00:10:28,443
Ignitions were starting very easily
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and fire was spreading
ridiculously quickly.
153
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Given the conditions,
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00:10:36,203 --> 00:10:38,443
a lot of the hazard reduction
and prescribed burning programs
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00:10:38,483 --> 00:10:40,083
were challenged.
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00:10:41,163 --> 00:10:44,003
BRENDON O'CONNOR: Where normally
we could light a 20m strip,
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it was one drop.
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00:10:46,043 --> 00:10:47,643
That was all you needed.
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00:10:48,963 --> 00:10:51,483
And within seconds,
that was ten feet wide.
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00:10:52,963 --> 00:10:54,883
So it was very volatile.
161
00:11:00,603 --> 00:11:02,523
SHANE FITZSIMMONS: I won't refer
to it as 'Black Summer'
162
00:11:02,563 --> 00:11:05,923
because we were dealing with
over 1,000 fires a month in winter
163
00:11:05,963 --> 00:11:09,003
and then the fires intensified
as we moved into spring and summer.
164
00:11:09,043 --> 00:11:12,043
(FIRE ROARS)
165
00:11:23,803 --> 00:11:26,163
WOMAN: Nothing was gonna stop
those fires.
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00:11:26,203 --> 00:11:29,963
They were something dragged up
out of hell and dumped on Earth.
167
00:11:30,003 --> 00:11:32,443
MAN: Go! Go! Go!
168
00:11:34,603 --> 00:11:39,563
(MEN CALL OUT INDISTINCTLY)
169
00:11:39,603 --> 00:11:41,843
Everything we tried to do
just didn't work.
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00:11:41,883 --> 00:11:46,083
(MAN CALLS OUT INDISTINCTLY)
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The fire was just, you know,
172
00:11:48,283 --> 00:11:49,843
too severe
for what we were expecting
173
00:11:49,883 --> 00:11:51,243
and what we were capable of doing.
174
00:11:53,723 --> 00:11:56,363
When everything that you've ever
been taught doesn't work,
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00:11:56,403 --> 00:11:57,803
what do you do?
176
00:11:57,843 --> 00:12:00,843
(FIRE ROARS)
177
00:12:08,363 --> 00:12:11,363
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
178
00:12:30,363 --> 00:12:32,043
BRENDON O'CONNOR:
We had the Green Wattle fire
179
00:12:32,083 --> 00:12:34,603
about 7.5km out to our west.
180
00:12:35,923 --> 00:12:37,483
Everyone was very much on edge.
181
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With us in Balmoral here, we've got
a lot of national park around us.
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00:12:50,283 --> 00:12:54,163
It was not if it was gonna get to us,
it was when.
183
00:12:56,443 --> 00:12:59,443
(PLANE ENGINE ROARS)
184
00:13:03,083 --> 00:13:06,563
Once the fire stood up,
within ten, 15 minutes,
185
00:13:06,603 --> 00:13:11,523
the first wave came through
and then we were engulfed.
186
00:13:19,483 --> 00:13:22,483
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
187
00:13:27,923 --> 00:13:31,763
I must say, that's probably
the only time in my life
188
00:13:31,803 --> 00:13:33,523
I've actually thought,
"This will probably be it."
189
00:13:33,563 --> 00:13:36,563
(MUFFLED RADIO COMMUNICATIONS)
190
00:13:39,243 --> 00:13:40,523
MAN: Fuck.
191
00:13:47,083 --> 00:13:50,963
Most tragically, two firefighters
lost their lives that night
192
00:13:51,003 --> 00:13:53,323
coming in to help us,
193
00:13:53,363 --> 00:13:55,643
which a lot of us knew those guys.
194
00:14:03,483 --> 00:14:07,043
SHANE FITZSIMMONS: On that fateful
night, on Thursday, 19 December,
195
00:14:07,083 --> 00:14:12,563
it was a truly tragic accident
and we lost two beautiful individuals
196
00:14:12,603 --> 00:14:16,043
who so selflessly for years
have dedicated
197
00:14:16,083 --> 00:14:18,963
to the cause of serving
and protecting their local community
198
00:14:19,003 --> 00:14:21,083
and communities much further afield.
199
00:14:22,843 --> 00:14:27,563
For baby Charlotte, you need to know
that your dad was a selfless man,
200
00:14:27,603 --> 00:14:29,203
he was a special man
201
00:14:29,243 --> 00:14:32,323
and he only left us
because he was a hero.
202
00:14:35,043 --> 00:14:38,043
(BELL TOLLS)
203
00:14:39,163 --> 00:14:42,163
(SOLEMN MUSIC)
204
00:14:45,203 --> 00:14:48,643
BRENDON O'CONNOR:
Morale-wise, really hurt everyone.
205
00:14:50,363 --> 00:14:54,323
It affects you very personally to
know that these guys lost their lives
206
00:14:54,363 --> 00:14:56,203
coming in to help protect us.
207
00:14:59,963 --> 00:15:02,683
To help honour them,
we need to protect
208
00:15:02,723 --> 00:15:05,843
what those guys were putting
their lives on the line for
209
00:15:05,883 --> 00:15:07,723
and keep fighting.
210
00:15:12,163 --> 00:15:14,923
That Thursday, 19 December,
211
00:15:14,963 --> 00:15:17,523
the fire was gonna be pushed
into the village again.
212
00:15:19,403 --> 00:15:23,323
Myself and every other captain
within the Southern Highlands team
213
00:15:23,363 --> 00:15:25,643
were asked to leave our villages.
214
00:15:28,243 --> 00:15:30,203
For me, straight away, it was a no.
215
00:15:32,683 --> 00:15:34,963
After fighting for our village
for the last two days,
216
00:15:35,003 --> 00:15:37,563
I was not gonna leave.
217
00:15:38,723 --> 00:15:40,403
I put it to our brigade.
218
00:15:40,443 --> 00:15:44,403
Every member in our brigade in
Balmoral decided they wanted to stay.
219
00:15:45,523 --> 00:15:48,203
Lakesland, Douglas Park
and Mount Hunter,
220
00:15:48,243 --> 00:15:51,723
they refused to leave
and they actually came back in.
221
00:15:51,763 --> 00:15:54,763
That gave us five vehicles
to be able to take on the fight.
222
00:15:57,243 --> 00:16:00,603
No other volunteer fire brigades
could either come in
223
00:16:00,643 --> 00:16:02,923
or were allowed in.
224
00:16:02,963 --> 00:16:06,523
We could hear them asking
and requesting to be sent in
225
00:16:06,563 --> 00:16:08,923
and that being refused
by Fire Control.
226
00:16:08,963 --> 00:16:12,523
They obviously deemed it too unsafe
to be here.
227
00:16:22,563 --> 00:16:26,003
(HELICOPTER WHIRRS)
228
00:16:26,043 --> 00:16:29,043
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
229
00:16:36,443 --> 00:16:37,803
(MAN CALLS OUT INDISTINCTLY)
230
00:16:39,963 --> 00:16:42,163
BRENDON O'CONNOR:
You're in an absolute firestorm.
231
00:16:44,963 --> 00:16:46,643
It was day but it was night.
232
00:16:50,923 --> 00:16:54,203
We fought our way back here
because the other call came through
233
00:16:54,243 --> 00:16:57,563
that 35 people
were now in the station
234
00:16:57,603 --> 00:16:59,843
and the station
was actually being impacted now.
235
00:17:09,563 --> 00:17:13,763
WOMAN: When we got in the fire shed,
everything was all hazy.
236
00:17:13,803 --> 00:17:16,243
Oh, it was chaos. It really was.
237
00:17:16,283 --> 00:17:18,843
The fire shed was already
under ember attack at that stage.
238
00:17:22,803 --> 00:17:24,843
HELENA KAM: Outside, it was roaring.
239
00:17:24,883 --> 00:17:27,923
Yeah. it was... You could hear
the embers hitting the shed.
240
00:17:27,963 --> 00:17:30,963
(FIRE ROARS)
241
00:17:33,443 --> 00:17:36,603
BRENDON O'CONNOR: Our fire station
is the place of last resort.
242
00:17:37,723 --> 00:17:41,043
They believed they were all gonna die
in here that night, potentially.
243
00:17:41,083 --> 00:17:43,763
(MEN CALL OUT INDISTINCTLY)
244
00:17:43,803 --> 00:17:45,083
We were running out of water.
245
00:17:45,123 --> 00:17:49,603
Firefighters had to stay
to try to defend.
246
00:17:49,643 --> 00:17:53,203
Just through sheer exhaustion,
they collapsed where they were.
247
00:17:53,243 --> 00:17:56,563
We were absolutely spent.
248
00:17:56,603 --> 00:17:59,603
(FIRE ROARS)
249
00:17:59,643 --> 00:18:02,643
(MEN CALL OUT INDISTINCTLY)
250
00:18:14,203 --> 00:18:16,643
I remember calling out
"The cavalry's here."
251
00:18:16,683 --> 00:18:19,163
(MEN CALL OUT INDISTINCTLY)
252
00:18:19,203 --> 00:18:23,403
Just as we had ran out of water,
station officer Jason Strong,
253
00:18:23,443 --> 00:18:25,283
through New South Wales
Fire and Rescue,
254
00:18:25,323 --> 00:18:28,363
he was hearing my calls
and he couldn't deal with it anymore.
255
00:18:28,403 --> 00:18:30,883
(MEN CALL OUT INDISTINCTLY)
256
00:18:32,323 --> 00:18:35,483
They were our first back-up
that we received.
257
00:18:39,043 --> 00:18:41,603
They were absolute lifesavers
at that point.
258
00:18:54,683 --> 00:18:56,643
JUSTIN KAM:
Brendon, being the person he is,
259
00:18:56,683 --> 00:19:00,083
was unwilling to leave the village
undefended.
260
00:19:02,083 --> 00:19:05,963
I believe that those actions of his
saved the village
261
00:19:06,003 --> 00:19:07,643
because nobody else came to help us
262
00:19:07,683 --> 00:19:11,603
until a lot of the properties
were already, you know, under attack.
263
00:19:11,643 --> 00:19:13,843
And lives would have been lost.
264
00:19:19,283 --> 00:19:22,883
It amazes us
how some of these people will give
265
00:19:22,923 --> 00:19:25,523
without even thinking
of their own situation.
266
00:19:27,083 --> 00:19:31,203
It is very difficult to imagine
how some of these other individuals
267
00:19:31,243 --> 00:19:33,243
will go fight somebody else's fires
268
00:19:33,283 --> 00:19:35,963
and not worry about
whether their house is burning.
269
00:19:39,123 --> 00:19:41,403
BRENDON O'CONNOR:
Two of our members lost their homes,
270
00:19:41,443 --> 00:19:43,883
one directly behind my home
271
00:19:43,923 --> 00:19:45,123
and one of the other members,
272
00:19:45,163 --> 00:19:49,243
while he was saving his neighbour's
home, watched his own home burn down.
273
00:19:54,403 --> 00:19:57,003
You know,
they're just your average battler.
274
00:19:57,043 --> 00:20:00,963
Most people are struggling
day to day as it is,
275
00:20:01,003 --> 00:20:04,523
you know, with paying the bills
and keeping their family going.
276
00:20:06,283 --> 00:20:07,843
NATHAN BARNDEN: One guy,
he works on horses
277
00:20:07,883 --> 00:20:09,403
and we were coming out of a drought.
278
00:20:09,443 --> 00:20:12,843
Half the stock on the coast
were either injured or killed.
279
00:20:12,883 --> 00:20:15,043
He essentially lost his business.
280
00:20:15,083 --> 00:20:18,243
But every day,
he was out firefighting,
281
00:20:18,283 --> 00:20:20,683
not making an income,
not finding a new job.
282
00:20:20,723 --> 00:20:22,963
He was out protecting his community.
283
00:20:25,443 --> 00:20:27,523
BRENDON O'CONNOR:
I'm in awe of every firefighter.
284
00:20:28,523 --> 00:20:33,403
The hours everyone was working,
you know, absolute sleep deprivation,
285
00:20:33,443 --> 00:20:38,323
working in the most trying,
most dangerous conditions...
286
00:20:41,643 --> 00:20:45,803
JUSTIN KAM: Seeing one of the
firefighters lying, unable to breathe
287
00:20:45,843 --> 00:20:48,963
because he was suffering from
heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation,
288
00:20:49,003 --> 00:20:54,283
it tells you the levels
that they will push themselves.
289
00:20:54,323 --> 00:20:56,243
And they're volunteers...
290
00:20:58,883 --> 00:21:02,003
so what does that tell you
about their psyche?
291
00:21:05,203 --> 00:21:06,923
It's a completely different mindset.
292
00:21:18,363 --> 00:21:20,723
NATHAN BARNDEN:
I started receiving 000 calls
293
00:21:20,763 --> 00:21:22,403
of people who were trapped
in homes...
294
00:21:26,563 --> 00:21:30,963
and this is right as the firestorm
hit town the hardest.
295
00:21:33,963 --> 00:21:37,763
The initial report was for a family
of seven, with five children,
296
00:21:37,803 --> 00:21:40,163
trapped inside their house
and that the house was on fire.
297
00:21:43,003 --> 00:21:46,323
I grabbed a firefighter,
whose name was John Gallagher.
298
00:21:48,083 --> 00:21:50,043
We were in a four-wheel-drive,
essentially,
299
00:21:50,083 --> 00:21:53,123
so we had no firefighting hoses,
no protective curtains,
300
00:21:53,163 --> 00:21:55,563
no sprinkler systems,
nothing to protect us.
301
00:21:58,083 --> 00:22:01,163
The fire was basically hitting
the side of the car on all sides
302
00:22:01,203 --> 00:22:02,763
as we drove through it...
303
00:22:04,083 --> 00:22:06,523
and as we were driving down
this road,
304
00:22:06,563 --> 00:22:11,363
things just got increasingly intense
in fire behaviour
305
00:22:11,403 --> 00:22:12,883
and we found ourselves at a point
306
00:22:12,923 --> 00:22:16,323
where we made the decision that we
physically couldn't get any further.
307
00:22:16,363 --> 00:22:17,763
We tried to turn around
308
00:22:17,803 --> 00:22:19,883
and we got caught in the stormwater
sort of drain.
309
00:22:33,123 --> 00:22:34,763
We couldn't get the car out
310
00:22:34,803 --> 00:22:38,003
and we were just being hammered
with wind and debris
311
00:22:38,043 --> 00:22:40,963
and everything was falling to pieces
around us and I...
312
00:22:42,483 --> 00:22:46,843
I remember looking at John
and I know...
313
00:22:46,883 --> 00:22:48,243
and we never said it
314
00:22:48,283 --> 00:22:53,003
but we both just looked at each
other and went, like, "This is it."
315
00:22:53,043 --> 00:22:57,083
"Yeah, this is where we...
This is where it ends for us."
316
00:22:57,123 --> 00:23:00,683
And we kind of just did that thing
where you look at each other
317
00:23:00,723 --> 00:23:02,443
and you just nod
318
00:23:02,483 --> 00:23:04,163
and you knew.
319
00:23:04,203 --> 00:23:08,523
And we kept trying to get the car
out and it just wouldn't move.
320
00:23:13,043 --> 00:23:14,883
And eventually it just managed
321
00:23:14,923 --> 00:23:17,763
to just pull itself
out of the gutter a little bit
322
00:23:17,803 --> 00:23:19,363
and back onto the road.
323
00:23:20,523 --> 00:23:23,203
We went back out to the intersection
of the Princes Highway.
324
00:23:24,563 --> 00:23:26,963
I radioed our control centre
325
00:23:27,003 --> 00:23:30,483
and I said that we couldn't get
to the family, like, to the people.
326
00:23:30,523 --> 00:23:32,323
But I asked them, you know,
327
00:23:32,363 --> 00:23:35,363
"Can you guarantee
that there are people in there,
328
00:23:35,403 --> 00:23:39,643
"because if we go back,
this is," you know...
329
00:23:39,683 --> 00:23:43,963
The likelihood of being that lucky
twice isn't really high.
330
00:23:44,003 --> 00:23:46,483
And they replied with,
331
00:23:46,523 --> 00:23:49,123
"To the best of our knowledge,
there are people in that house"
332
00:23:49,163 --> 00:23:53,363
and so we shut everything up and we
turned around and we went back in.
333
00:23:53,403 --> 00:23:56,403
(TENSE MUSIC)
334
00:24:06,963 --> 00:24:09,003
I remember driving into the property
335
00:24:09,043 --> 00:24:11,043
and we pull up
at the front of the house
336
00:24:11,083 --> 00:24:13,523
and three-quarters of the house
is on fire.
337
00:24:14,683 --> 00:24:17,523
And we can't see a single person.
338
00:24:23,043 --> 00:24:26,523
And their car's in the driveway
and it's on fire.
339
00:24:26,563 --> 00:24:29,043
All of their sheds are burning.
340
00:24:29,083 --> 00:24:31,883
The veranda to the front door
is on fire.
341
00:24:31,923 --> 00:24:36,403
Everything that you can possibly
think of around you is on fire.
342
00:24:40,003 --> 00:24:43,203
John jumped out of the car while I
radioed in to say that we'd arrived
343
00:24:43,243 --> 00:24:46,163
and opened the front door
to the house, you know,
344
00:24:46,203 --> 00:24:48,243
climbing over the burning veranda
345
00:24:48,283 --> 00:24:53,323
and there were a family of seven,
two adults and five kids,
346
00:24:53,363 --> 00:24:55,483
huddled under a blanket
in the lounge room
347
00:24:55,523 --> 00:24:58,483
while the room around them burnt.
348
00:25:03,683 --> 00:25:05,203
WOMAN: It was New Year's Eve
349
00:25:05,243 --> 00:25:07,683
and my daughter-in-law
was at my house.
350
00:25:07,723 --> 00:25:10,083
We'd rang the police
a couple of times
351
00:25:10,123 --> 00:25:12,683
and they had said
to remain where we were.
352
00:25:12,723 --> 00:25:16,603
Unfortunately, the next minute,
we had a fireball on our property
353
00:25:16,643 --> 00:25:19,483
and it just came
and wrapped around the house.
354
00:25:22,403 --> 00:25:24,003
I knew we weren't getting out.
355
00:25:24,043 --> 00:25:25,843
There was nowhere to go.
356
00:25:25,883 --> 00:25:28,283
Two of my babies are struggling,
357
00:25:28,323 --> 00:25:32,163
two of my grandchildren are saying
they're so hot in their belly.
358
00:25:32,203 --> 00:25:33,763
Gave them all a paper bag
359
00:25:33,803 --> 00:25:35,723
and told them
if they breathe in the paper bag
360
00:25:35,763 --> 00:25:37,883
that the firemen will come -
361
00:25:37,923 --> 00:25:40,643
a promise I didn't know
if I could keep.
362
00:25:43,283 --> 00:25:47,403
I think we had minutes,
maybe seconds...
363
00:25:50,083 --> 00:25:54,163
and then Jess heard the firemen were
at the door, you know, yelling out.
364
00:25:57,683 --> 00:26:00,163
NATHAN BARNDEN: We were trying to
get these guys out of their house,
365
00:26:00,203 --> 00:26:02,363
across the burning yard
and into our car.
366
00:26:04,483 --> 00:26:05,843
We got all of them in
367
00:26:05,883 --> 00:26:09,603
and had to turn around and try and
drive back out through that fire.
368
00:26:13,163 --> 00:26:14,643
We managed to get them through,
369
00:26:14,683 --> 00:26:17,763
then we get back to the fire station
and we sit the kids down
370
00:26:17,803 --> 00:26:19,923
and then we turn around
and go back to the car
371
00:26:19,963 --> 00:26:23,043
and we go and do it all over again
with a different family.
372
00:26:23,083 --> 00:26:26,363
And we do it three times
over the next...
373
00:26:26,403 --> 00:26:27,923
I think it's the next hour
374
00:26:27,963 --> 00:26:31,163
and nearly die twice in the process.
375
00:26:43,963 --> 00:26:45,203
NATHAN BARNDEN: My brigade came
376
00:26:45,243 --> 00:26:47,563
and knocked on the window of the car
that I was in
377
00:26:47,603 --> 00:26:51,683
and said, "You need to come...
You need to come and see your dad."
378
00:26:51,723 --> 00:26:55,763
And my stomach just sank.
379
00:26:59,803 --> 00:27:02,963
And my dad looks at me
and tells me that my...
380
00:27:03,003 --> 00:27:07,603
that my Uncle Robert
and my cousin Patrick had died
381
00:27:07,643 --> 00:27:12,683
defending their home in Cobargo,
just north of where we were.
382
00:27:12,723 --> 00:27:17,763
And I remember just looking at him
and sort of saying,
383
00:27:17,803 --> 00:27:19,403
like, "What are you talking about?"
384
00:27:19,443 --> 00:27:23,363
And he...
He just said, "They're dead."
385
00:27:23,403 --> 00:27:26,403
(SOLEMN MUSIC)
386
00:27:29,443 --> 00:27:31,483
It's like time just stopped.
387
00:27:34,203 --> 00:27:36,523
I was just on my knees
in the middle of the road
388
00:27:36,563 --> 00:27:39,803
while this whole town burned
around me, crying.
389
00:27:39,843 --> 00:27:43,043
I grabbed my dad and my brother and
we walked back into the fire station
390
00:27:43,083 --> 00:27:46,043
and I walked past the people
who I had saved
391
00:27:46,083 --> 00:27:50,563
to tell my mum that she's now lost
her brother and her nephew...
392
00:27:53,123 --> 00:27:54,643
(CRIES)
393
00:27:57,323 --> 00:27:59,803
I don't even know how to describe...
394
00:28:01,243 --> 00:28:04,843
what it was like to tell her that.
395
00:28:14,203 --> 00:28:17,643
ROSEY BARNDEN: I was a Salway,
the baby of the family.
396
00:28:23,003 --> 00:28:24,083
My family...
397
00:28:24,123 --> 00:28:26,203
A wonderful family.
398
00:28:28,843 --> 00:28:30,563
Just my world.
399
00:28:30,603 --> 00:28:32,803
(CRIES)
400
00:28:34,123 --> 00:28:37,683
I'll miss that time with Robert,
that...
401
00:28:37,723 --> 00:28:41,803
yeah, having my big brother
to talk to.
402
00:28:54,563 --> 00:28:57,443
NATHAN BARNDEN: Yeah, that was...
that was day one for me.
403
00:28:57,483 --> 00:29:00,483
We lost hundreds of homes.
404
00:29:00,523 --> 00:29:03,163
Then I lost my family on day one.
405
00:29:04,203 --> 00:29:09,043
And then, for two months, every
single day, I would put on a uniform
406
00:29:09,083 --> 00:29:13,603
and I would go out and I would do it
again and again and again.
407
00:29:14,763 --> 00:29:16,963
And partially, it was out of guilt.
408
00:29:17,003 --> 00:29:20,003
(TENSE MUSIC)
409
00:29:35,363 --> 00:29:36,843
BRUCE BUCKLEY:
The bushfires extended
410
00:29:36,883 --> 00:29:38,363
from the south-eastern parts
of Queensland
411
00:29:38,403 --> 00:29:40,443
all the way down the coast
into Tasmania.
412
00:29:41,763 --> 00:29:43,843
That's the equivalent of bushfires
in North America
413
00:29:43,883 --> 00:29:45,203
going from Vancouver
414
00:29:45,243 --> 00:29:47,523
all the way down the west coast
of the United States
415
00:29:47,563 --> 00:29:49,083
into the northern parts of Mexico.
416
00:30:01,763 --> 00:30:05,603
The smoke from Australia's bushfires
circled the entire planet.
417
00:30:07,043 --> 00:30:10,643
In South America, the skies
over central Chile went grey.
418
00:30:12,123 --> 00:30:15,443
It was no longer a bushfire
that was burning in the wilderness
419
00:30:15,483 --> 00:30:17,603
somewhere
in the central parts of Australia.
420
00:30:17,643 --> 00:30:19,883
It was there for all to see
421
00:30:19,923 --> 00:30:23,283
and it was there
for month after month.
422
00:30:27,203 --> 00:30:32,323
We had over 200 consecutive days
of bushfire emergencies declared.
423
00:30:34,323 --> 00:30:37,323
There were
more than 3,000 homes destroyed
424
00:30:37,363 --> 00:30:42,763
and we had more than 18 million
hectares of country burnt out.
425
00:30:43,763 --> 00:30:46,323
That's an area close to the size
of the United kingdom.
426
00:31:08,723 --> 00:31:13,283
MAN: The silence.
Just the quietness.
427
00:31:15,083 --> 00:31:18,603
No birds singing out, no...
Nothing.
428
00:31:18,643 --> 00:31:20,523
Not even insects.
429
00:31:22,123 --> 00:31:25,723
When I looked at the soils,
they were just baked, like pottery.
430
00:31:25,763 --> 00:31:27,483
Just hard.
431
00:31:28,643 --> 00:31:30,603
No vegetation.
432
00:31:30,643 --> 00:31:35,643
And I just felt empty inside.
433
00:31:39,043 --> 00:31:41,803
WOMAN: They estimate
around 3 billion animals
434
00:31:41,843 --> 00:31:43,083
were lost in the fires.
435
00:31:45,363 --> 00:31:47,083
We did search and rescue.
436
00:31:47,123 --> 00:31:50,803
People were saying to us,
"How many koalas did you see?"
437
00:31:50,843 --> 00:31:53,883
And we didn't see many
because they'd been incinerated.
438
00:31:53,923 --> 00:31:56,603
They were gone. Just dust.
439
00:31:56,643 --> 00:31:58,283
(KOALA YELPS)
440
00:32:01,323 --> 00:32:06,563
I couldn't visualise how we could
ever recover from such devastation.
441
00:32:23,363 --> 00:32:26,883
WOMAN: It's kind of stuff that
you see from footage of World War II.
442
00:32:29,763 --> 00:32:31,603
But this is happening
in our backyard.
443
00:32:35,923 --> 00:32:39,323
I remember just seeing people dazed.
It was shock.
444
00:32:42,683 --> 00:32:46,483
But you also saw the absolute despair
and adrenaline
445
00:32:46,523 --> 00:32:49,123
that someone was running on
at that time.
446
00:32:57,723 --> 00:32:59,523
I slept with my bra on for two weeks
447
00:32:59,563 --> 00:33:01,723
'cause I was jumping up
in the middle of the night.
448
00:33:03,403 --> 00:33:05,643
There was a lot of looters in town,
449
00:33:05,683 --> 00:33:08,683
stealing
from people's half-burnt houses.
450
00:33:08,723 --> 00:33:12,443
We had a lot of tourists
and they were told to leave
451
00:33:12,483 --> 00:33:16,283
and when they left,
they took all of our food and petrol
452
00:33:16,323 --> 00:33:22,403
and we had no trucks coming in
to refill our shelves.
453
00:33:25,283 --> 00:33:26,963
MAN: Because we were cut off
from the world,
454
00:33:27,003 --> 00:33:28,563
people did feel we'd been abandoned.
455
00:33:29,563 --> 00:33:31,723
People, they might have
a few possessions in their car
456
00:33:31,763 --> 00:33:33,883
and the clothes on their back -
that's all they've got.
457
00:33:37,363 --> 00:33:39,443
We needed help
and we needed it desperately.
458
00:33:48,323 --> 00:33:51,123
KYLIE WARREN: The whole RFS
were under-resourced.
459
00:33:51,163 --> 00:33:52,883
We didn't have many trucks here,
460
00:33:52,923 --> 00:33:56,283
so everybody sprung into action
and my husband was one of them.
461
00:33:58,523 --> 00:34:00,003
The hose is burnt!
462
00:34:00,043 --> 00:34:01,843
KYLIE WARREN:
They were in amongst it.
463
00:34:03,003 --> 00:34:05,723
They did as much as a firefighter
could without a truck.
464
00:34:05,763 --> 00:34:08,483
(WOMAN AND MAN CALL OUT)
465
00:34:08,523 --> 00:34:11,123
You know, turning off gas bubbles
and jumping fences
466
00:34:11,163 --> 00:34:15,083
and putting verandas out
and putting gardens out.
467
00:34:15,123 --> 00:34:17,003
And they took control.
468
00:34:17,043 --> 00:34:19,203
They were ordering people around.
469
00:34:19,243 --> 00:34:21,083
And they were, like,
"Are you guys firefighters?"
470
00:34:21,123 --> 00:34:23,403
And they go, "No." (LAUGHS)
"We're just doing what we can."
471
00:34:25,883 --> 00:34:28,163
PAULA ZAJA: In the back of my head,
I was thinking, literally,
472
00:34:28,203 --> 00:34:30,123
I couldn't fight a fire
if it came through here.
473
00:34:30,163 --> 00:34:31,523
There's no chance.
474
00:34:31,563 --> 00:34:34,483
I'm sitting there at home,
going, "What good am I here?
475
00:34:34,523 --> 00:34:36,163
"What can we do? What can we do?"
476
00:34:38,763 --> 00:34:40,883
So I just put out this call
on Facebook
477
00:34:40,923 --> 00:34:43,523
and it just started, this effect...
478
00:34:51,683 --> 00:34:53,443
I couldn't even get through
my front door
479
00:34:53,483 --> 00:34:55,363
with the amount of donations
that were dumped there.
480
00:34:55,403 --> 00:34:57,123
But what a beautiful problem to have,
481
00:34:57,163 --> 00:34:59,643
to have so many people just go,
"We don't know how to help.
482
00:34:59,683 --> 00:35:02,443
"Just let us know what you need
and we'll get it to you."
483
00:35:02,483 --> 00:35:05,483
We had - get this -
groups of volunteers
484
00:35:05,523 --> 00:35:09,123
that were providing food
for our normal volunteers
485
00:35:09,163 --> 00:35:11,443
that were
providing food for our firefighters.
486
00:35:11,483 --> 00:35:12,603
(PHONE VIBRATES)
487
00:35:12,643 --> 00:35:15,243
DAVE ALLEN: The phone calls I took
were just quite unbelievable.
488
00:35:15,283 --> 00:35:19,083
From all around Australia, people
just loading up generators, fuel,
489
00:35:19,123 --> 00:35:22,163
groceries, supplies, water,
whatever they had.
490
00:35:22,203 --> 00:35:25,203
I became a bit of a contact point
491
00:35:25,243 --> 00:35:28,323
and for days and days and days,
the phone wouldn't stop.
492
00:35:28,363 --> 00:35:29,683
(PHONE VIBRATES)
493
00:35:29,723 --> 00:35:31,803
Almost got to the stage
I threw it in the river
494
00:35:31,843 --> 00:35:33,923
but I just knew it was important
to keep it on
495
00:35:33,963 --> 00:35:35,483
and important to keep answering it
because...
496
00:35:35,523 --> 00:35:37,283
Mmm.
497
00:35:39,043 --> 00:35:43,643
SUE ASHTON: I've been amazed
at the kindness and thoughtfulness
498
00:35:43,683 --> 00:35:45,083
of so many people.
499
00:35:45,123 --> 00:35:47,163
Our website crashed.
500
00:35:47,203 --> 00:35:50,803
It couldn't handle the volume of
donations we were getting through.
501
00:35:52,883 --> 00:35:54,963
KYLIE WARREN: People saw an opening
of how they could help
502
00:35:55,003 --> 00:35:56,003
and just helped.
503
00:35:56,043 --> 00:35:57,483
(HORN HONKS)
504
00:35:57,523 --> 00:36:01,723
And there was more heroes in plain
clothing than there was in uniform
505
00:36:01,763 --> 00:36:03,083
and that was just...
506
00:36:07,843 --> 00:36:09,123
Sorry.
507
00:36:09,163 --> 00:36:11,323
I don't know why I'm crying.
Stupid.
508
00:36:13,043 --> 00:36:15,603
It just felt...
509
00:36:17,203 --> 00:36:18,563
We felt cared about.
510
00:36:18,603 --> 00:36:20,803
(CHEERING)
511
00:36:20,843 --> 00:36:24,723
Our volunteers
across this entire country,
512
00:36:24,763 --> 00:36:29,323
they are the ones who have saved us.
513
00:36:29,363 --> 00:36:36,003
And I will speak now very
confidently on behalf of a nation
514
00:36:36,043 --> 00:36:40,963
when I say to those volunteers
thank you!
515
00:36:41,003 --> 00:36:45,723
(CHEERING)
Thank you! Thank you!
516
00:36:49,123 --> 00:36:51,523
PAULA ZAJA: It takes crisis
to remember we're all human,
517
00:36:51,563 --> 00:36:53,643
to see people coming together
518
00:36:53,683 --> 00:36:56,883
for no other reason
but to, you know, keep us going.
519
00:36:56,923 --> 00:36:59,283
That was quite profound.
520
00:37:05,003 --> 00:37:08,003
(THUNDER RUMBLES)
(ROUSING MUSIC)
521
00:37:24,963 --> 00:37:29,363
Yes! Yeah, bring it on!
522
00:37:33,003 --> 00:37:35,763
(LAUGHTER)
523
00:38:03,443 --> 00:38:06,443
(RAIN FALLS)
524
00:38:24,243 --> 00:38:27,283
NATHAN BARNDEN: It's a really
funny thing to try and explain
525
00:38:27,323 --> 00:38:29,723
because you think they'd be happy
that it rained
526
00:38:29,763 --> 00:38:31,563
and that the fires were out...
527
00:38:33,843 --> 00:38:35,483
Like, I'm obviously happy about that
528
00:38:35,523 --> 00:38:37,323
because there was no threat
to the community
529
00:38:37,363 --> 00:38:38,683
and there was nothing like that
530
00:38:38,723 --> 00:38:41,243
but for months, you know,
I went out every day firefighting
531
00:38:41,283 --> 00:38:42,603
because it gave me a purpose
532
00:38:42,643 --> 00:38:44,803
and then it just ended.
533
00:38:44,843 --> 00:38:47,723
Just one day, we woke up
and it was over.
534
00:38:51,243 --> 00:38:56,443
All of the emotion, all of the fear
and the guilt...
535
00:38:57,443 --> 00:39:00,443
all of that started coming out
really hard.
536
00:39:02,683 --> 00:39:06,163
I retreated from who I was
and I stepped away from my family
537
00:39:06,203 --> 00:39:07,883
and I struggled.
538
00:39:08,883 --> 00:39:11,323
I didn't know who I was anymore.
539
00:39:14,963 --> 00:39:16,603
I got into my own head
540
00:39:16,643 --> 00:39:19,243
that if I wasn't good enough
to save my own family,
541
00:39:19,283 --> 00:39:22,363
how was I ever good enough
to help anyone else's?
542
00:39:25,043 --> 00:39:27,643
Firefighting is easy.
543
00:39:27,683 --> 00:39:31,003
Dealing with the mental health
aspects after it is not.
544
00:39:57,163 --> 00:39:59,483
BRENDON O'CONNOR: I'm still
finding it very hard to settle,
545
00:39:59,523 --> 00:40:01,883
as a lot of the firefighters are.
546
00:40:02,963 --> 00:40:07,803
I do find it, yeah, quite difficult
to...I guess, to fully relax
547
00:40:07,843 --> 00:40:09,483
when I'm in the village,
548
00:40:09,523 --> 00:40:12,963
so it's been
a very difficult transition.
549
00:40:19,283 --> 00:40:22,243
Due to the hernias that I got
during the fires,
550
00:40:22,283 --> 00:40:24,403
I've still not been back to work.
551
00:40:24,443 --> 00:40:27,003
It's been quite difficult, yeah,
to be able to pay the bills
552
00:40:27,043 --> 00:40:29,163
and keep everything going forward.
553
00:40:30,323 --> 00:40:34,083
It's definitely put strain
on relationships.
554
00:40:35,123 --> 00:40:38,283
Janet and I, we've been married
for 29 years.
555
00:40:39,323 --> 00:40:40,483
During the fires,
556
00:40:40,523 --> 00:40:44,163
I was lucky if I was getting one
and a half to two hours sleep a day.
557
00:40:44,203 --> 00:40:46,283
The rest of the time,
I was over at the station,
558
00:40:46,323 --> 00:40:49,643
so I was averaging, you know,
20, 22 hours
559
00:40:49,683 --> 00:40:53,603
and I guess doing this probably
took its toll on her, I think.
560
00:40:53,643 --> 00:40:54,803
Yeah.
561
00:40:54,843 --> 00:40:58,043
So, unfortunately, yeah,
Janet decided that she, yeah...
562
00:40:58,083 --> 00:41:01,043
didn't want to be a part of our life
anymore, so...
563
00:41:01,083 --> 00:41:03,363
But it is what it is.
564
00:41:10,323 --> 00:41:13,683
When the bushfire volunteers,
when they pack up and go home,
565
00:41:13,723 --> 00:41:16,003
that's the beginning
of the recovery.
566
00:41:16,043 --> 00:41:17,643
It's not the end of the situation.
567
00:41:20,083 --> 00:41:23,763
The emergency didn't stop
the day the rains came.
568
00:41:23,803 --> 00:41:26,643
A different sort of emergency
took over.
569
00:41:46,443 --> 00:41:50,163
MAN: I'm a beef and sheep farmer
at Wandella-Cobargo.
570
00:41:51,283 --> 00:41:54,443
I'm fifth generation.
The kids are sixth generation.
571
00:41:54,483 --> 00:41:56,483
Grandkids are seventh generation.
572
00:41:56,523 --> 00:42:01,323
You know, we've been here for so
long, it's hard to explain to anyone
573
00:42:01,363 --> 00:42:05,443
the feeling you have
for the land you love.
574
00:42:09,203 --> 00:42:13,843
NATHAN BARNDEN: Warren Salway's
my uncle, so he's my mum's brother.
575
00:42:13,883 --> 00:42:19,843
I know their experiences were tough
and I know we nearly lost him too.
576
00:42:23,283 --> 00:42:25,523
WARREN SALWAY:
Robert was me big brother.
577
00:42:25,563 --> 00:42:28,563
Patrick was my nephew.
578
00:42:30,083 --> 00:42:31,763
They were only 30m from their house
579
00:42:31,803 --> 00:42:34,683
and they got caught in a fireball.
580
00:42:38,523 --> 00:42:42,083
I think we all thought
that we would stop the fire
581
00:42:42,123 --> 00:42:45,323
when it come from the bush
to the open country
582
00:42:45,363 --> 00:42:48,763
but there was no way in the world
we were gonna pull it up.
583
00:42:48,803 --> 00:42:50,723
Like, it was a tornado coming at us.
584
00:42:53,163 --> 00:42:55,363
WOMAN: Like, it was still dark.
You couldn't see.
585
00:42:55,403 --> 00:42:57,963
But Warren could hear
cattle bellowing
586
00:42:58,003 --> 00:43:01,723
and he thought, "Thank goodness,
you know, there's some alive."
587
00:43:01,763 --> 00:43:05,203
But when it come daylight,
they were that badly burnt.
588
00:43:11,003 --> 00:43:15,563
WARREN SALWAY: We had to
probably put down about 45 cows
589
00:43:15,603 --> 00:43:17,763
'cause you can't let animals suffer.
590
00:43:20,203 --> 00:43:24,403
We lost 150 head of cattle, 80 sheep,
591
00:43:24,443 --> 00:43:29,563
24km of fencing,
five sheds, two houses.
592
00:43:29,603 --> 00:43:33,323
There's 30 years of work
just gone in half an hour.
593
00:43:33,363 --> 00:43:36,283
So it's a massive blow.
594
00:43:40,923 --> 00:43:44,763
I was pretty crook.
595
00:43:44,803 --> 00:43:47,963
Like, I'd gone from 19 days
that I hadn't stopped...
596
00:43:50,203 --> 00:43:52,843
I was getting up
at 3:00 in the morning.
597
00:43:55,363 --> 00:43:57,083
I thought it was getting on top of me
598
00:43:57,123 --> 00:44:01,083
and I said to Helen,
"I've got to go and get some help."
599
00:44:22,523 --> 00:44:26,683
The fires were like nothing
that I had ever experienced before.
600
00:44:26,723 --> 00:44:29,763
It's not really something that
you think about, living in the UK.
601
00:44:29,803 --> 00:44:34,643
I was expecting to just have a bit
of a holiday, have a bit of a jolly
602
00:44:34,683 --> 00:44:38,923
and suddenly I went from being,
like, a 24-year-old on holiday
603
00:44:38,963 --> 00:44:41,443
to a refugee,
camping out on the beach.
604
00:44:48,083 --> 00:44:51,283
It was like walking into
an apocalypse.
605
00:44:53,083 --> 00:44:57,403
This family, total strangers,
never met them before in my life,
606
00:44:57,443 --> 00:45:00,003
but they saw us in the tents
with all the animals
607
00:45:00,043 --> 00:45:02,523
because my aunt had brought horses
down as well
608
00:45:02,563 --> 00:45:04,963
and they said,
"You can't camp in this.
609
00:45:05,003 --> 00:45:07,603
"We've got a guestroom.
You can come stay.
610
00:45:07,643 --> 00:45:09,523
"You can bring the cats,
you can bring the horses."
611
00:45:11,123 --> 00:45:12,563
It blew my mind.
612
00:45:12,603 --> 00:45:15,563
They didn't know us at all and they
just let us take over their home.
613
00:45:15,603 --> 00:45:18,003
They cooked us dinner, breakfast.
614
00:45:18,043 --> 00:45:21,763
I could not believe
how kindly we were treated.
615
00:45:23,363 --> 00:45:27,483
I was so overwhelmed by the kindness
that I saw
616
00:45:27,523 --> 00:45:30,203
that I knew I had to give back.
617
00:45:37,083 --> 00:45:38,603
BlazeAid is a charity
618
00:45:38,643 --> 00:45:41,323
that comes into communities
after natural disasters
619
00:45:41,363 --> 00:45:43,163
and helps them to rebuild.
620
00:45:43,203 --> 00:45:46,563
The primary work that we do
is fencing.
621
00:45:48,443 --> 00:45:50,723
A bunch of backpackers
camped up the road
622
00:45:50,763 --> 00:45:52,723
in a community
that's been through a lot
623
00:45:52,763 --> 00:45:53,803
and is so traumatised,
624
00:45:53,843 --> 00:45:59,363
that could really go the wrong way
but everyone's been so kind to us.
625
00:45:59,403 --> 00:46:00,843
More?
626
00:46:00,883 --> 00:46:03,083
That's all I want.
627
00:46:03,123 --> 00:46:05,323
Alright. Good job.
628
00:46:05,363 --> 00:46:08,563
I've got five wires to put on this.
629
00:46:08,603 --> 00:46:10,323
I've got to walk this five times,
630
00:46:10,363 --> 00:46:11,883
whereas BlazeAid,
there's five people here,
631
00:46:11,923 --> 00:46:16,003
so it makes, yeah,
a fifth of your work, sort of thing.
632
00:46:16,043 --> 00:46:19,123
HELEN SALWAY: It's been great
for Warren with his mental state.
633
00:46:19,163 --> 00:46:21,803
You know, they're all from overseas.
634
00:46:21,843 --> 00:46:24,403
He's teaching them
a lot of Aussie slang.
635
00:46:26,243 --> 00:46:27,603
My friends back home
636
00:46:27,643 --> 00:46:29,963
now need me re-translate sentences
that I say to them.
637
00:46:31,203 --> 00:46:34,203
"I'm just popping down the bottlo
or going to the servo."
638
00:46:35,443 --> 00:46:37,683
WARREN SALWAY: The young people
I've had here have been terrific.
639
00:46:37,723 --> 00:46:40,723
Oh... I've told them
about what happened
640
00:46:40,763 --> 00:46:44,283
and they've helped me by telling me
what they've done in their life,
641
00:46:44,323 --> 00:46:46,483
so, yeah, it's been good.
642
00:46:46,523 --> 00:46:47,723
A good exchange.
643
00:46:47,763 --> 00:46:52,683
Only 9km. But I can see the end.
(LAUGHS)
644
00:46:54,083 --> 00:46:58,003
EMILY COPLEY-MOORBY: There are
so many farms that we, BlazeAid,
645
00:46:58,043 --> 00:46:59,603
still haven't been able to get to
646
00:46:59,643 --> 00:47:03,123
because there is so much work to do
and there is so much recovery left.
647
00:47:09,323 --> 00:47:11,443
DAVE ALLEN: We had people
coming down in droves
648
00:47:11,483 --> 00:47:12,923
to help people to clean up,
649
00:47:12,963 --> 00:47:15,643
to re-fence, to just get their lives
back in order
650
00:47:15,683 --> 00:47:17,003
and the place was sort of buzzing.
651
00:47:21,643 --> 00:47:25,883
I was conscious that we had to get
the pub back open for people.
652
00:47:25,923 --> 00:47:29,323
So many people had lost everything
and they needed somewhere to come
653
00:47:29,363 --> 00:47:31,203
and to talk
and to be with their friends
654
00:47:31,243 --> 00:47:33,163
and just try and heal each other.
655
00:47:33,203 --> 00:47:35,683
We had the Red Cross here,
we had the local council,
656
00:47:35,723 --> 00:47:37,243
we had various insurers.
657
00:47:37,283 --> 00:47:38,643
It became a one-stop shop.
658
00:47:38,683 --> 00:47:40,763
People would come in,
get their insurance claims assessed,
659
00:47:40,803 --> 00:47:43,323
talk to the local council,
what they needed, etc, etc
660
00:47:43,363 --> 00:47:47,403
and just go bang, bang, bang, bang
and, you know, get sorted out.
661
00:47:47,443 --> 00:47:49,963
And, yeah, the coronavirus pandemic,
662
00:47:50,003 --> 00:47:51,563
that just stopped all that
in its tracks.
663
00:47:58,283 --> 00:48:00,923
EMILY COPLEY-MOORBY:
The BlazeAid camp had to shut down.
664
00:48:00,963 --> 00:48:05,363
I understand it with COVID
because it's to keep people safe.
665
00:48:05,403 --> 00:48:07,243
It just does get really frustrating
666
00:48:07,283 --> 00:48:09,723
when you have to turn away
willing volunteers.
667
00:48:09,763 --> 00:48:11,683
(RINGING TONE)
668
00:48:13,443 --> 00:48:15,203
MAN: (ON PHONE) Hello.
WALTER SALWAY: Hey, Manu.
669
00:48:15,243 --> 00:48:17,243
How are you?
Good. All good. How are you?
670
00:48:17,283 --> 00:48:19,883
Alright, mate. Alright.
Only just got your message!
671
00:48:19,923 --> 00:48:22,083
Yeah, I'm sorry,
I was a bit confused but...
672
00:48:22,123 --> 00:48:25,203
That's a bugger. Like, all your
team's been stood down, have they?
673
00:48:25,243 --> 00:48:29,563
All of the young guys here,
like, 35 people,
674
00:48:29,603 --> 00:48:32,643
are having a day off today
because of this.
675
00:48:32,683 --> 00:48:34,123
Yeah.
OK. See you later.
676
00:48:34,163 --> 00:48:35,323
Bye.
Bye.
677
00:48:35,363 --> 00:48:38,923
By the sound of it, all their crews
have been stood down.
678
00:48:38,963 --> 00:48:40,123
It's just ridiculous.
679
00:48:40,163 --> 00:48:44,283
Like, you've got great young people
that want to help you and they can't.
680
00:48:44,323 --> 00:48:45,803
(LAUGHS)
681
00:48:51,323 --> 00:48:53,203
JOHN BROGDEN: Many of those areas
had been in drought,
682
00:48:53,243 --> 00:48:56,803
then they were hit by fires
and then, of course, COVID,
683
00:48:56,843 --> 00:48:59,883
so this year's been not just
a double whammy for some people
684
00:48:59,923 --> 00:49:01,043
but a triple whammy.
685
00:49:05,003 --> 00:49:07,083
We have a view in Australia
that farmers are stoic.
686
00:49:07,123 --> 00:49:08,843
You know, they can get through
the tough times,
687
00:49:08,883 --> 00:49:11,003
they can get through droughts,
they can get through fires
688
00:49:11,043 --> 00:49:13,563
but, you know, we're all human -
there's only so much we can take.
689
00:49:15,163 --> 00:49:17,643
Got the gloves on, dear.
(HELEN LAUGHS)
690
00:49:17,683 --> 00:49:19,763
Well, just to pull the wire out
691
00:49:19,803 --> 00:49:21,803
'cause it makes your fingers
a bit sore.
692
00:49:24,683 --> 00:49:26,403
WARREN SALWAY: She's my best friend.
693
00:49:27,483 --> 00:49:32,403
She's really this hand and that hand
all put together.
694
00:49:35,563 --> 00:49:37,123
She gives me a lot of strength.
695
00:49:39,043 --> 00:49:41,683
HELEN SALWAY: He just needs
to try to have a bit of a break.
696
00:49:41,723 --> 00:49:45,323
Like, I'm worried a little bit about
his emotional state and that,
697
00:49:45,363 --> 00:49:46,603
you know, so...
698
00:49:46,643 --> 00:49:49,563
He was sort of winding down
the last couple of years
699
00:49:49,603 --> 00:49:52,363
'cause my health hasn't been good,
so...
700
00:49:52,403 --> 00:49:55,963
Got a non-curable blood cancer,
like, multiple myeloma.
701
00:49:56,003 --> 00:50:01,403
Then you get a disaster like this
and it's just created a lot of work
702
00:50:01,443 --> 00:50:04,923
and, yeah, financial burden,
sort of thing.
703
00:50:04,963 --> 00:50:07,323
So, yeah.
704
00:50:12,123 --> 00:50:15,643
PAULA ZAJA: The impacts of any crisis
is long-term.
705
00:50:15,683 --> 00:50:18,723
It's not that first few months
but that's when the media's there,
706
00:50:18,763 --> 00:50:20,243
that's when everyone
puts attention in.
707
00:50:20,283 --> 00:50:22,203
That's what everyone feels good
about, you know, helping.
708
00:50:22,243 --> 00:50:23,723
And then the next crisis will come
709
00:50:23,763 --> 00:50:25,323
and everyone leaves
and the town goes.
710
00:50:28,523 --> 00:50:30,363
DAVE ALLEN: Yeah, Red Cross,
Salvation Army,
711
00:50:30,403 --> 00:50:31,723
those charities were here
712
00:50:31,763 --> 00:50:34,603
and they were really good
in providing counselling for people
713
00:50:34,643 --> 00:50:37,643
but, you know, they're not here
in Cobargo anymore.
714
00:50:39,363 --> 00:50:41,803
People's focus changed
and people got to move on.
715
00:50:43,003 --> 00:50:44,803
You know, everything comes to an end
716
00:50:44,843 --> 00:50:47,483
and people have got a lot
on their plate, absolutely.
717
00:50:47,523 --> 00:50:51,363
But we still have people
living rough.
718
00:50:51,403 --> 00:50:55,203
Like, we've had 1,000 homes
been lost in this area.
719
00:50:55,243 --> 00:50:57,043
How long is that going to take
to rebuild?
720
00:51:10,363 --> 00:51:13,203
WOMAN: Our old home here,
my husband and I built it
721
00:51:13,243 --> 00:51:17,843
and we had a beautiful, beautiful,
beautiful big stone chimney.
722
00:51:18,843 --> 00:51:23,123
We found all these really old,
old red bricks
723
00:51:23,163 --> 00:51:27,563
and it was just...mmm, to die for.
724
00:51:27,603 --> 00:51:29,843
And after the fire,
725
00:51:29,883 --> 00:51:34,363
that chimney was still standing
and that was fantastic.
726
00:51:35,883 --> 00:51:39,283
But we were told because it was on
the foundations of the house...
727
00:51:40,923 --> 00:51:42,883
it had to go.
728
00:51:42,923 --> 00:51:47,043
And I no sooner stepped out to look
to see the Kato hit it,
729
00:51:47,083 --> 00:51:48,923
bang, and that was the end of that.
730
00:51:48,963 --> 00:51:50,203
And that's...
731
00:51:50,243 --> 00:51:51,683
Mmm. Yeah.
732
00:51:51,723 --> 00:51:56,403
I think I cried
for about four or five hours
733
00:51:56,443 --> 00:51:58,763
because the chimney was...
734
00:51:58,803 --> 00:52:02,043
The old house, it was all
that was left of it, you know.
735
00:52:03,363 --> 00:52:06,643
And, you know,
you've just got to move on.
736
00:52:16,683 --> 00:52:20,003
We've whacked up an old shack
out of iron,
737
00:52:20,043 --> 00:52:21,603
old iron that didn't get burnt.
738
00:52:22,803 --> 00:52:26,043
It gets very cold here. Big frosts.
739
00:52:26,083 --> 00:52:28,923
I mean, we're not that far
from the snowfields. (LAUGHS)
740
00:52:34,123 --> 00:52:35,563
DAVE ALLEN: We're in winter now
741
00:52:35,603 --> 00:52:39,043
and for people to still be living in
tents and old second-hand caravans
742
00:52:39,083 --> 00:52:40,403
that are freezing at night,
743
00:52:40,443 --> 00:52:41,643
to me, it's ridiculous.
744
00:52:43,243 --> 00:52:45,563
You know,
we had all this money donated,
745
00:52:45,603 --> 00:52:49,283
you know, we had charity cricket
matches, we had celebrity concerts.
746
00:52:49,323 --> 00:52:51,723
We just lack that coordination,
that someone...
747
00:52:51,763 --> 00:52:53,483
to tie the various levels
of government,
748
00:52:53,523 --> 00:52:56,243
all the charity organisations,
all the community groups,
749
00:52:56,283 --> 00:52:58,923
tie all those strings together
and get it really focused
750
00:52:58,963 --> 00:53:00,283
and really going forward
751
00:53:00,323 --> 00:53:02,403
because sometimes it feels like
it's just going sideways.
752
00:53:10,563 --> 00:53:12,083
JUSTIN: Oh...
753
00:53:16,803 --> 00:53:18,523
Are you getting cold again?
Mmm?
754
00:53:18,563 --> 00:53:19,883
Are you cold again?
755
00:53:19,923 --> 00:53:21,283
It's fine.
756
00:53:21,323 --> 00:53:23,443
I've got my hot chocolate now.
Oh.
757
00:53:24,843 --> 00:53:27,403
JUSTIN KAM: When we came here
20 years ago,
758
00:53:27,443 --> 00:53:30,923
there was not much there,
just a lot of shrub.
759
00:53:30,963 --> 00:53:35,563
HELENA KAM: We put up a tent, just
to see what the land was all about.
760
00:53:36,723 --> 00:53:39,763
I think we lived in that tent
for about 18 months
761
00:53:39,803 --> 00:53:41,843
and I think that's where Gabriel
came from.
762
00:53:41,883 --> 00:53:43,843
(BOTH LAUGH)
763
00:53:45,123 --> 00:53:46,563
The locals that were here,
764
00:53:46,603 --> 00:53:48,683
we found out
that they actually ran a book on us
765
00:53:48,723 --> 00:53:50,923
as to how long we would actually last
in the village,
766
00:53:50,963 --> 00:53:52,403
or in a tent, for that matter.
767
00:53:52,443 --> 00:53:54,283
We asked,
"Well, how much did you lose?"
768
00:53:54,323 --> 00:53:58,123
And the guy went and said,
"Oh, your resilient bastards."
769
00:53:58,163 --> 00:53:59,683
(BOTH LAUGH)
770
00:54:03,963 --> 00:54:07,403
The fires burnt our home
on 21 December.
771
00:54:07,443 --> 00:54:11,403
We managed to finally
get electricity as of yesterday.
772
00:54:11,443 --> 00:54:15,443
Yeah, it's 30 August now,
so, you know, eight months.
773
00:54:19,563 --> 00:54:22,363
They deliberately call it recovery.
774
00:54:22,403 --> 00:54:23,963
We were in survival mode.
775
00:54:29,363 --> 00:54:35,043
Part of rebuilding, we had to declare
a 54m radius of bushland.
776
00:54:35,083 --> 00:54:37,123
Which is basically a suburban block.
777
00:54:37,163 --> 00:54:39,203
(CHAINSAW WHINES)
778
00:54:39,243 --> 00:54:42,843
We work on the property
until sundown. That's every day.
779
00:54:42,883 --> 00:54:46,683
We actually haven't stopped
from the time of the fires.
780
00:54:46,723 --> 00:54:48,083
It's just been constant.
781
00:54:48,123 --> 00:54:50,563
(CHAINSAW WHINES)
782
00:54:50,603 --> 00:54:52,123
The work that needs to be done
783
00:54:52,163 --> 00:54:54,683
is not something 50, 60-year-olds
do anymore.
784
00:54:54,723 --> 00:54:58,123
You feel the mornings in winter,
you feel the cold
785
00:54:58,163 --> 00:55:01,043
and then, at the end of the day,
you're a ball of pain.
786
00:55:03,443 --> 00:55:05,643
GABRIEL KAM: Oh, I definitely worry
for my parents.
787
00:55:05,683 --> 00:55:07,403
They're burning themselves out
788
00:55:07,443 --> 00:55:09,843
and they're going to hurt themselves
really badly
789
00:55:09,883 --> 00:55:12,883
and I don't know if I'll be there
to help
790
00:55:12,923 --> 00:55:16,443
and even if I am there,
what I can do to help.
791
00:55:16,483 --> 00:55:18,963
So it's very worrying.
792
00:55:19,003 --> 00:55:22,003
(CHAINSAW WHINES)
793
00:55:25,003 --> 00:55:27,683
HELENA KAM: For the first time
in our lives,
794
00:55:27,723 --> 00:55:32,563
we actually needed help
because we had nowhere else to turn.
795
00:55:34,563 --> 00:55:38,563
PAULA ZAJA: Helena and Justin
find it very hard to ask for help.
796
00:55:38,603 --> 00:55:41,243
I remember how hard it was for Helena
to have people on her block.
797
00:55:41,283 --> 00:55:44,243
You know, "This was my house.
This is no longer my house.
798
00:55:44,283 --> 00:55:46,243
"I'm proud person
and I have nothing."
799
00:55:46,283 --> 00:55:50,563
That's where the shame comes up and
it makes it so hard to ask for help.
800
00:55:52,243 --> 00:55:56,003
I could see it because I've lived it,
you know, that you put on that front
801
00:55:56,043 --> 00:55:58,843
and "I'm OK, I'm OK, I'm OK"
but you know you're not deep down.
802
00:56:00,323 --> 00:56:04,523
I think from my own personal story
is why I do what I do.
803
00:56:07,563 --> 00:56:10,043
After choosing to leave
domestic violence,
804
00:56:10,083 --> 00:56:13,163
I found myself in a situation
where it was just so hard to manage.
805
00:56:15,723 --> 00:56:18,723
I never forget the nights
when it was hard to feed the kids
806
00:56:18,763 --> 00:56:20,803
and they're eating my portion
of dinner
807
00:56:20,843 --> 00:56:23,483
and I'm telling them that I had,
you know, a big lunch at work
808
00:56:23,523 --> 00:56:25,523
and you're going to bed hungry.
809
00:56:25,563 --> 00:56:27,723
Those things are quite pivotal.
810
00:56:27,763 --> 00:56:30,883
Having that roof over your head,
having food,
811
00:56:30,923 --> 00:56:33,243
they are basic human needs.
812
00:56:33,283 --> 00:56:35,323
I can't rebuild those houses,
813
00:56:35,363 --> 00:56:38,363
I can't take away all the issues
they're gonna have with rebuilding
814
00:56:38,403 --> 00:56:40,083
but I can put food on their tables.
815
00:56:43,523 --> 00:56:46,763
I run a food rescue service
called Our Community Pantry.
816
00:56:46,803 --> 00:56:49,723
We're working with those
that have been fire-affected.
817
00:56:49,763 --> 00:56:52,003
They can get their food for free.
818
00:56:52,043 --> 00:56:55,803
We're supporting over 4,000 families,
which is pretty awesome.
819
00:56:59,003 --> 00:57:00,443
Most people see the big project
820
00:57:00,483 --> 00:57:02,803
but they don't see all the hands
that go into
821
00:57:02,843 --> 00:57:05,243
putting the labels on the food,
you know, packing the bags.
822
00:57:06,643 --> 00:57:09,443
You couldn't have that project
without all the help behind it.
823
00:57:10,963 --> 00:57:13,323
WOMAN: I volunteer at Pantry
most Tuesdays
824
00:57:13,363 --> 00:57:15,403
and then the occasional Fridays.
825
00:57:15,443 --> 00:57:18,243
While my house burnt down
on 21 December,
826
00:57:18,283 --> 00:57:20,203
I was here on the 23rd
making hampers.
827
00:57:21,523 --> 00:57:23,483
To see Victoria at a point
where she's actually saying
828
00:57:23,523 --> 00:57:25,923
"I'm gonna help other people,"
829
00:57:25,963 --> 00:57:28,283
it says an awful amount
about someone.
830
00:57:29,603 --> 00:57:32,123
I was absolutely in shock
and cried for a long time
831
00:57:32,163 --> 00:57:36,083
but this filled me back up,
I guess, with hope.
832
00:57:37,523 --> 00:57:40,443
And that's why I do it.
It was certainly not for the pay.
833
00:57:40,483 --> 00:57:43,203
(LAUGHS) Yeah, it's just because
it's a really nice feeling
834
00:57:43,243 --> 00:57:44,683
to help others.
835
00:57:49,203 --> 00:57:52,323
MAN: This country has suffered
drought, it's now suffered fire
836
00:57:52,363 --> 00:57:55,203
and most of these people
have a minimum of two years
837
00:57:55,243 --> 00:57:56,923
before they get to rebuild
838
00:57:56,963 --> 00:57:59,603
and we can't let these people
disappear from our mind's eye
839
00:57:59,643 --> 00:58:00,643
as we go forward.
840
00:58:03,283 --> 00:58:06,483
We are delivering
up to 200 temporary recovery pods
841
00:58:06,523 --> 00:58:08,523
for people that have lost
their houses.
842
00:58:09,843 --> 00:58:13,003
The idea with building these is
that they're temporary for two years
843
00:58:13,043 --> 00:58:16,603
and people have the opportunity
during those two years to rebuild,
844
00:58:16,643 --> 00:58:18,723
get their development authorities
in place.
845
00:58:20,083 --> 00:58:23,643
But going forward, we'll relocate
these to a central point
846
00:58:23,683 --> 00:58:26,603
and have them ready to roll out
immediately upon another disaster,
847
00:58:26,643 --> 00:58:29,363
rather than having to start
from scratch again.
848
00:58:29,403 --> 00:58:33,323
So, we're building up the capital
for resilience
849
00:58:33,363 --> 00:58:34,723
in response to the fires.
850
00:58:37,323 --> 00:58:40,323
BARBARA STEWART: A pod, you walk in,
they've got a little shower recess,
851
00:58:40,363 --> 00:58:42,123
a toilet and a basin
852
00:58:42,163 --> 00:58:43,963
and then they've got, like,
little bunkbeds.
853
00:58:45,243 --> 00:58:46,443
It was really quite funny.
854
00:58:46,483 --> 00:58:52,643
We heard about this 80-odd-year-old
German guy that lives down in Cobargo
855
00:58:52,683 --> 00:58:54,843
and he went like this to the bed
and he said,
856
00:58:54,883 --> 00:58:58,043
"Oh, they're very solid, the beds."
857
00:58:58,083 --> 00:59:01,563
And the guy said, "Oh, yeah."
He said, "They're very solid."
858
00:59:01,603 --> 00:59:05,363
He said, "I mean really solid,"
the old bloke said.
859
00:59:05,403 --> 00:59:07,403
And they said,
"Yes, it's very, very solid."
860
00:59:07,443 --> 00:59:09,883
He said, "We've never known them
to collapse at all."
861
00:59:09,923 --> 00:59:12,483
He said, "But are they any good
for bonking in?"
862
00:59:12,523 --> 00:59:14,123
(LAUGHS)
863
00:59:15,443 --> 00:59:17,403
And the guy said, "For what?"
864
00:59:17,443 --> 00:59:21,083
And he said, "You know, bonking in.
Can you bonk on these beds?"
865
00:59:21,123 --> 00:59:24,603
And he said, "I don't know.
We've never tried it." (LAUGHS)
866
00:59:24,643 --> 00:59:25,643
So...
867
00:59:25,683 --> 00:59:28,083
So, yeah, you've gotta have
a sense of humour
868
00:59:28,123 --> 00:59:31,003
and this old chappy...
life wasn't over for him.
869
00:59:31,043 --> 00:59:32,723
(LAUGHS)
870
00:59:32,763 --> 00:59:34,763
He's got a lot to look forward to.
871
00:59:41,843 --> 00:59:43,563
MAN: Hello.
Hello.
872
00:59:43,603 --> 00:59:45,003
How you going?
873
00:59:45,043 --> 00:59:46,123
I don't know.
874
00:59:47,203 --> 00:59:48,723
Not bad, is it?
(DOG BARKS)
875
00:59:51,123 --> 00:59:53,763
You like it?
It's absolutely beautiful.
876
00:59:59,763 --> 01:00:00,963
For heaven's sake...
877
01:00:03,643 --> 01:00:05,323
There's two top bunks there
that fold down.
878
01:00:05,363 --> 01:00:07,883
They're just left up for now
but if you want to...
879
01:00:07,923 --> 01:00:10,563
put up shelving or anything,
you can put them down.
880
01:00:10,603 --> 01:00:12,323
They've got rails there
that can go in...
881
01:00:12,363 --> 01:00:14,083
Unbelievable.
..and a ladder up the back.
882
01:00:15,123 --> 01:00:18,203
But we just put the two mattresses
down back so you can put a couch in,
883
01:00:18,243 --> 01:00:19,643
things like that, whatever you want.
884
01:00:23,443 --> 01:00:26,843
It's generous. You know,
we thought it was fantastic.
885
01:00:26,883 --> 01:00:31,523
But we just felt very guilty
about having it.
886
01:00:33,123 --> 01:00:35,083
I'll show you your gas...
(CLICKING)
887
01:00:36,243 --> 01:00:38,123
Oh, you don't even need a lighter?
No.
888
01:00:38,963 --> 01:00:43,363
There's a gas bottle just out the
back...to put into the container...
889
01:00:43,403 --> 01:00:45,243
with a cover on it.
890
01:00:45,283 --> 01:00:46,763
Thank you so much.
No worries.
891
01:00:46,803 --> 01:00:48,403
Happy to help.
892
01:00:51,323 --> 01:00:53,803
It's just too much...
893
01:00:55,443 --> 01:00:57,603
It is, it's too much.
894
01:00:57,643 --> 01:00:59,803
(DOGS CONTINUE BARKING)
895
01:00:59,843 --> 01:01:01,243
Shut those dogs up!
896
01:01:03,443 --> 01:01:07,923
We got in touch
and said we knew a couple
897
01:01:07,963 --> 01:01:10,923
that should be more deserving
to have that pod, not us.
898
01:01:10,963 --> 01:01:14,843
Then we arranged to have the pod
taken up to this other family.
899
01:01:14,883 --> 01:01:17,523
She's a sister at the hospital,
works nightshift
900
01:01:17,563 --> 01:01:19,723
and her husband's 80% blind.
901
01:01:19,763 --> 01:01:22,843
And so, that was good for them,
you know,
902
01:01:22,883 --> 01:01:25,483
and they're better off to have that.
903
01:01:25,523 --> 01:01:28,123
We didn't really need it. We were OK.
904
01:01:35,323 --> 01:01:37,043
Oh, dear me.
905
01:01:39,243 --> 01:01:40,723
(LAUGHS)
906
01:01:42,243 --> 01:01:44,843
Cheers.
Oh, cheers.
907
01:01:44,883 --> 01:01:46,363
Cheers, girl.
Cheers, girl.
908
01:01:46,403 --> 01:01:48,883
(BOTH LAUGH)
909
01:01:50,883 --> 01:01:53,523
There's always somebody out there
worse off than you are
910
01:01:53,563 --> 01:01:56,483
and if you think too much
about what you've lost
911
01:01:56,523 --> 01:01:59,763
and that, "Oh, this shouldn't
have happened" or blah, blah, blah,
912
01:01:59,803 --> 01:02:03,643
it's a silly attitude
because you're alive.
913
01:02:03,683 --> 01:02:05,563
A lot of people lost lives.
914
01:02:05,603 --> 01:02:06,963
You're alive.
915
01:02:07,003 --> 01:02:09,203
You just get up and get on with it.
916
01:02:14,043 --> 01:02:16,763
PAULA ZAJA: From day one,
we saw cracks happening.
917
01:02:17,843 --> 01:02:20,763
You know, it's not just Helena,
it's not just Justin,
918
01:02:20,803 --> 01:02:22,563
it's not Victoria,
it's not just Brendon.
919
01:02:23,523 --> 01:02:25,403
We see the cracks everywhere.
920
01:02:26,763 --> 01:02:28,563
We know that these communities
921
01:02:28,603 --> 01:02:31,003
are short on resources
for mental health to begin with
922
01:02:31,043 --> 01:02:33,363
and then, throw something in
like this...
923
01:02:34,883 --> 01:02:36,403
You see it in their eyes, you know.
924
01:02:36,443 --> 01:02:42,043
People are concerned for others
but afraid to ask for their own help.
925
01:02:52,643 --> 01:02:54,523
JOHN BROGDEN:
Lifeline is an outreach service
926
01:02:54,563 --> 01:02:57,763
to people who are in crisis
and at high risk of suicide.
927
01:02:59,803 --> 01:03:04,243
Even eight months on, we were still
getting 200 to 300 calls a day.
928
01:03:05,363 --> 01:03:07,883
And our calls have increased,
not decreased.
929
01:03:10,523 --> 01:03:13,123
Some people tough it through the
first couple of weeks or the month.
930
01:03:13,163 --> 01:03:16,163
They're the person around
who's the pillar for people.
931
01:03:16,203 --> 01:03:18,323
They get through the tough times,
932
01:03:18,363 --> 01:03:21,203
then they just fall to pieces
six or 12 or 18 months later.
933
01:03:24,803 --> 01:03:27,723
BRENDON O'CONNOR: When you go away
to a town and you save it
934
01:03:27,763 --> 01:03:29,043
and there's damage, you know,
935
01:03:29,083 --> 01:03:31,763
you take that very personally
but you then get to leave.
936
01:03:34,203 --> 01:03:38,043
When it's in your own town
and it's just so widespread,
937
01:03:38,083 --> 01:03:39,723
it's horrible, to be honest.
938
01:03:44,403 --> 01:03:46,883
My head was not in a good place.
939
01:03:46,923 --> 01:03:52,163
I was really depressed, angry,
feeling very detached...
940
01:03:53,683 --> 01:03:56,323
even down to that point
I'd had suicidal thoughts.
941
01:03:59,123 --> 01:04:04,403
I just wanted it gone.
I just wanted it gone.
942
01:04:19,883 --> 01:04:23,963
WOMAN: So many people are really
struggling to come to terms with,
943
01:04:24,003 --> 01:04:26,083
"How do I move forward from here?"
944
01:04:26,123 --> 01:04:29,683
My question to people
has always been around,
945
01:04:29,723 --> 01:04:32,203
"What is it that stands in the way
of you being at peace?"
946
01:04:35,563 --> 01:04:37,523
Brendon reached out to us
947
01:04:37,563 --> 01:04:41,123
because he was finding
that he couldn't stop crying
948
01:04:41,163 --> 01:04:43,843
and this was so unusual for him
949
01:04:43,883 --> 01:04:46,323
'cause he's not someone
who readily cries.
950
01:04:47,563 --> 01:04:49,843
BRENDON O'CONNOR:
I had a good talk with Petrea
951
01:04:49,883 --> 01:04:52,763
and let her know where my headspace
was, which wasn't good.
952
01:04:52,803 --> 01:04:55,683
I guess there were
a lot of indicators to her
953
01:04:55,723 --> 01:04:59,243
that I needed help now, not...
you know, not down the track.
954
01:04:59,283 --> 01:05:01,683
It's pretty horrific stuff
955
01:05:01,723 --> 01:05:04,243
and, you know, 21 years ago,
into these things
956
01:05:04,283 --> 01:05:07,083
and then have your own village
destroyed as it was...
957
01:05:07,123 --> 01:05:08,683
Yes.
..it's a lot.
958
01:05:08,723 --> 01:05:10,843
And the hypervigilance,
it's just constantly there.
959
01:05:12,323 --> 01:05:16,803
We certainly encountered many men
who were very surprised
960
01:05:16,843 --> 01:05:19,483
at their own reaction
to what had happened to them.
961
01:05:24,363 --> 01:05:27,363
(TENSE MUSIC)
962
01:05:29,083 --> 01:05:30,683
JOHN BROGDEN:
These were war-like conditions.
963
01:05:31,723 --> 01:05:34,003
You know, it's like a soldier
at the front line, you know.
964
01:05:34,043 --> 01:05:36,403
You need to be there,
you need to keep being there.
965
01:05:36,443 --> 01:05:41,003
The come-off of all of that
adrenaline, of all of that fear,
966
01:05:41,043 --> 01:05:42,403
of all of that worry doesn't...
967
01:05:42,443 --> 01:05:45,323
You just don't switch it off
and go back to work the next day.
968
01:05:49,323 --> 01:05:51,683
PETREA KING: What happens
when people are on high alert
969
01:05:51,723 --> 01:05:53,363
for many, many weeks,
970
01:05:53,403 --> 01:05:56,723
they get very high cortisol
and adrenaline levels
971
01:05:56,763 --> 01:05:58,283
for a long period of time
972
01:05:58,323 --> 01:06:01,523
and that interferes
with your ability to make decisions.
973
01:06:01,563 --> 01:06:03,243
It interferes with sleep.
974
01:06:03,283 --> 01:06:06,923
What we found is
when we educated people about,
975
01:06:06,963 --> 01:06:08,923
"This is what's been going on
in your body
976
01:06:08,963 --> 01:06:10,803
"over the last few weeks and months"
977
01:06:10,843 --> 01:06:13,603
and they're, like,
"Oh, so it's not about character,
978
01:06:13,643 --> 01:06:16,123
"it's not about
'I should've done better,'
979
01:06:16,163 --> 01:06:18,363
"it's not about
'There's something wrong with me.'
980
01:06:18,403 --> 01:06:21,763
"This is just
a perfectly natural response
981
01:06:21,803 --> 01:06:24,643
"to a very unnatural situation."
982
01:06:28,043 --> 01:06:31,043
(BIRDSONG)
983
01:06:32,083 --> 01:06:33,883
BRENDON O'CONNOR: It's definitely
not about getting over it
984
01:06:33,923 --> 01:06:36,683
'cause you're gonna carry
these things forever.
985
01:06:37,843 --> 01:06:40,523
It was about
being able to clear my mind
986
01:06:40,563 --> 01:06:43,123
and come to terms with
what I've gone through.
987
01:06:45,083 --> 01:06:48,203
People will need counselling
for a long, long time...
988
01:06:49,683 --> 01:06:53,483
but I guess a lot don't want to talk
about it and keep bringing it back up
989
01:06:53,523 --> 01:06:56,403
'cause it is quite traumatising
when you go through it again.
990
01:06:57,563 --> 01:07:00,243
With me, I guess being the first one
to do it,
991
01:07:00,283 --> 01:07:02,283
I guess, was probably a good thing
992
01:07:02,323 --> 01:07:04,403
because a lot of people
then looked at it and thought,
993
01:07:04,443 --> 01:07:07,203
"Well, if he can do it, so can I."
994
01:07:13,523 --> 01:07:14,803
(JUSTIN LAUGHS)
995
01:07:14,843 --> 01:07:16,763
PETREA KING: How good to see you.
Hi, Petrea.
996
01:07:18,363 --> 01:07:19,563
Oh...
997
01:07:20,323 --> 01:07:22,803
Welcome.
Thank you.
998
01:07:22,843 --> 01:07:24,563
Hey, Helena.
999
01:07:25,763 --> 01:07:27,203
Beautiful to see you.
1000
01:07:27,243 --> 01:07:28,243
Oh...
1001
01:07:28,283 --> 01:07:30,403
(HELENA CRIES)
1002
01:07:34,683 --> 01:07:35,963
Oh, dear. Sorry.
1003
01:07:36,003 --> 01:07:38,603
No. Never apologise for tears.
1004
01:07:39,763 --> 01:07:42,163
It's been absolutely awful.
1005
01:07:42,203 --> 01:07:44,443
It hurts the heart so deeply,
doesn't it?
1006
01:07:44,483 --> 01:07:45,683
Mmm.
Mmm.
1007
01:07:45,723 --> 01:07:46,883
Mmm.
1008
01:07:46,923 --> 01:07:50,003
It's been a very confusing year.
1009
01:07:50,043 --> 01:07:53,403
You know, it's gonna be
a very long...long haul.
1010
01:07:53,443 --> 01:07:55,603
You know, it creates anxiety.
1011
01:07:55,643 --> 01:07:57,123
It's, like,
"How long is this gonna take?"
1012
01:07:57,163 --> 01:07:59,083
And I don't think there's any answer
for that.
1013
01:08:01,763 --> 01:08:03,923
SHANE FITZSIMMONS: There is
this stigma, there is this shame
1014
01:08:03,963 --> 01:08:06,603
about being emotionally impacted
or affected
1015
01:08:06,643 --> 01:08:09,523
and I would plead to everybody
and our particularly men -
1016
01:08:09,563 --> 01:08:12,563
not exclusively, but men are the
worst offenders, in my experience -
1017
01:08:12,603 --> 01:08:15,803
we've got to do more
to open the doors
1018
01:08:15,843 --> 01:08:18,443
and give permission to our mates,
to our colleagues,
1019
01:08:18,483 --> 01:08:20,523
to our families, to our loved ones
1020
01:08:20,563 --> 01:08:25,043
that it's OK to be impacted and
affected by traumatic experiences.
1021
01:08:28,363 --> 01:08:29,923
CLEM BARNDEN:
I thought I was a rock.
1022
01:08:31,083 --> 01:08:34,803
Physically, I'm alright.
Mentally, I'm scarred through it.
1023
01:08:36,443 --> 01:08:38,443
Talking about it makes it come good.
1024
01:08:39,723 --> 01:08:40,803
It's a release.
1025
01:08:40,843 --> 01:08:42,803
If you don't release,
it builds up inside you,
1026
01:08:42,843 --> 01:08:44,083
then it becomes a real problem.
1027
01:08:45,443 --> 01:08:47,563
BRENDON O'CONNOR:
It can't be forced onto the person.
1028
01:08:47,603 --> 01:08:50,763
You know, you've gotta be ready
to put your hand up.
1029
01:08:50,803 --> 01:08:52,083
You know, without them,
1030
01:08:52,123 --> 01:08:55,123
I honestly can say I don't know
whether I would still be here.
1031
01:08:58,323 --> 01:08:59,963
JOHN BROGDEN: 20, 30 years ago,
1032
01:09:00,003 --> 01:09:02,283
I think we would've thought these
people would just tough it out.
1033
01:09:02,323 --> 01:09:03,403
They'll be fine.
1034
01:09:04,763 --> 01:09:08,083
I think one of the lessons
for Australia and Australians
1035
01:09:08,123 --> 01:09:11,683
is we're not as tough
as we thought we were
1036
01:09:11,723 --> 01:09:14,563
but we are more resilient
than we think we are.
1037
01:09:37,243 --> 01:09:40,603
BRUCE BUCKLEY: We can expect to see
far more severe fire seasons
1038
01:09:40,643 --> 01:09:42,203
than what we've seen in the past.
1039
01:09:44,203 --> 01:09:46,763
All of the increase
in bushfire activity
1040
01:09:46,803 --> 01:09:50,763
occurred with a global warming
in the order of plus-1.1 degree.
1041
01:09:52,083 --> 01:09:55,883
We are facing a global warming
of not plus-two, not plus-2.5
1042
01:09:55,923 --> 01:09:57,283
but plus-three degrees,
1043
01:09:57,323 --> 01:10:01,243
so whatever we've seen to date,
this is just the start of it.
1044
01:10:05,883 --> 01:10:07,803
VICTOR STEFFENSEN: Everyone goes,
"Climate change!"
1045
01:10:07,843 --> 01:10:11,523
And, yes, I agree,
we need to be serious about that.
1046
01:10:11,563 --> 01:10:14,603
But the other side of it
is bad management.
1047
01:10:14,643 --> 01:10:17,123
Prescribed burning
has got a long way to go.
1048
01:10:21,963 --> 01:10:24,803
Some of them get quite cool
and they might get it right
1049
01:10:24,843 --> 01:10:27,203
but the majority that I see
1050
01:10:27,243 --> 01:10:29,883
is burning the wrong ecosystems
at the time of the year...
1051
01:10:31,203 --> 01:10:33,883
upsetting the regrowth
of plants and animals.
1052
01:10:35,603 --> 01:10:37,963
And the heat that
comes out of those types of burns
1053
01:10:38,003 --> 01:10:40,243
is bad for our landscape.
1054
01:10:40,283 --> 01:10:43,283
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
1055
01:10:52,923 --> 01:10:57,123
Aboriginal fire management practices
are a just stark contrast.
1056
01:10:58,203 --> 01:10:59,883
It's a whole 'nother level
1057
01:10:59,923 --> 01:11:01,963
of an intimate connection
with the country.
1058
01:11:08,243 --> 01:11:11,963
It is about the right fire
for the right time,
1059
01:11:12,003 --> 01:11:14,243
for the right type of country.
1060
01:11:15,923 --> 01:11:18,403
Fires are more frequent
for Aboriginal burning
1061
01:11:18,443 --> 01:11:20,603
but less destructive.
1062
01:11:20,643 --> 01:11:24,523
That's how Aboriginal people have
been burning for thousands of years.
1063
01:11:28,123 --> 01:11:32,563
We don't want to burn the soil
till it's charred and baked.
1064
01:11:32,603 --> 01:11:35,443
We want to protect the organic
matter that sits in the soils.
1065
01:11:35,483 --> 01:11:40,043
And that organic matter is crucial
for the revegetation of country.
1066
01:11:42,123 --> 01:11:46,603
When they manage it the Western way
and burn to get rid of all the fuel
1067
01:11:46,643 --> 01:11:48,843
and no mind
for the health of the landscape,
1068
01:11:48,883 --> 01:11:52,643
then we start to see plants
that don't belong in those systems,
1069
01:11:52,683 --> 01:11:54,523
plants that are flammable come up
and shoot up
1070
01:11:54,563 --> 01:11:58,003
and that creates fires worser...
down the track.
1071
01:12:00,723 --> 01:12:05,763
For a long time, we didn't really
take it too seriously, you know,
1072
01:12:05,803 --> 01:12:08,403
because this wasn't
as fast as we want.
1073
01:12:08,443 --> 01:12:11,043
It's a slow process.
1074
01:12:11,083 --> 01:12:13,163
But it's very effective.
1075
01:12:13,203 --> 01:12:18,123
BRENDON O'CONNOR: To me, it has
a big part in how it should be done.
1076
01:12:18,163 --> 01:12:20,803
It shouldn't just be about, you know,
1077
01:12:20,843 --> 01:12:22,843
lock this little square in
and burn that out.
1078
01:12:22,883 --> 01:12:24,763
You know, we've got to look at
the bigger picture.
1079
01:12:24,803 --> 01:12:27,963
You know, when we look at the fires,
1080
01:12:28,003 --> 01:12:30,403
it's the first time in history,
really,
1081
01:12:30,443 --> 01:12:33,043
that Aboriginal people are being
listened to for their knowledge
1082
01:12:33,083 --> 01:12:34,723
and as a solution.
1083
01:12:34,763 --> 01:12:38,763
Not only are we trying to save
the environment,
1084
01:12:38,803 --> 01:12:41,203
we're trying to save culture
as well,
1085
01:12:41,243 --> 01:12:42,723
which is a part of that environment.
1086
01:12:45,203 --> 01:12:46,723
We're in a turning point.
1087
01:12:48,803 --> 01:12:52,643
How can we not invest
in the future generations
1088
01:12:52,683 --> 01:12:54,283
and the health of this planet?
1089
01:12:56,643 --> 01:12:59,683
Otherwise we'll have no country left
to live on.
1090
01:13:15,483 --> 01:13:17,643
NATHAN BARNDEN: Fires have occurred
forever in Australia
1091
01:13:17,683 --> 01:13:19,563
and they will continue to happen.
1092
01:13:21,963 --> 01:13:24,883
We're aware we're gonna have to
face this again.
1093
01:13:27,403 --> 01:13:30,483
You know, I don't know how we'll go
the next time there's a bigger fire
1094
01:13:30,523 --> 01:13:33,563
that's threatening our own home
in our own area.
1095
01:13:33,603 --> 01:13:37,003
And I don't know what it'll do
to our family.
1096
01:13:40,683 --> 01:13:45,163
ROSEY BARNDEN: Up until December,
it didn't worry me.
1097
01:13:45,203 --> 01:13:49,123
I guess in the back of your mind
you think about it but I just...
1098
01:13:49,163 --> 01:13:52,523
Yeah, I never thought about
anything bad happening.
1099
01:13:56,243 --> 01:13:57,923
But when the pager goes off,
1100
01:13:57,963 --> 01:14:03,803
straight away, it's just
that instant hurt in my stomach
1101
01:14:03,843 --> 01:14:08,323
to see Clem and Michael and Nathan
gone all night.
1102
01:14:08,363 --> 01:14:13,163
You got a little text message
from Clem with a little love heart
1103
01:14:13,203 --> 01:14:16,003
and that was my only thing
that I knew he was alright...
1104
01:14:18,443 --> 01:14:24,283
I hate the fires.
I hate everything about it.
1105
01:14:25,563 --> 01:14:27,523
And that's...
that finding that balance
1106
01:14:27,563 --> 01:14:31,763
of having fire
ruin your whole family
1107
01:14:31,803 --> 01:14:36,883
and then have fire
that is my family.
1108
01:14:44,203 --> 01:14:47,483
NATHAN BARNDEN: Going out to fires
after losing Patrick and Robert
1109
01:14:47,523 --> 01:14:49,123
was never the same.
1110
01:14:50,403 --> 01:14:53,123
I think I quit 23 times.
1111
01:14:53,163 --> 01:14:55,243
I sat in, you know, the station,
1112
01:14:55,283 --> 01:14:58,323
where for the last, you know,
12 years, I'd...
1113
01:14:59,323 --> 01:15:01,803
I'd lived for
1114
01:15:01,843 --> 01:15:04,163
and I wanted to throw it all away.
1115
01:15:11,683 --> 01:15:14,083
CHRISTINE PAULING:
We have our heroes that saved us
1116
01:15:14,123 --> 01:15:19,683
but to see Nathan, such a young man,
with so much on his shoulders...
1117
01:15:21,403 --> 01:15:22,603
it brings me to tears.
1118
01:15:24,643 --> 01:15:29,243
He's holding onto a weight
that you and I can't even imagine.
1119
01:15:29,283 --> 01:15:30,883
(CRANKS HANDBRAKE)
1120
01:15:36,723 --> 01:15:38,123
(KEYS JINGLE)
1121
01:15:39,083 --> 01:15:40,523
Hi, love. Hello.
Hey. How are you?
1122
01:15:40,563 --> 01:15:43,323
Hi.
How are you?
1123
01:15:43,363 --> 01:15:45,203
Good. How are you?
Good.
1124
01:15:48,283 --> 01:15:49,603
How are you?
1125
01:15:49,643 --> 01:15:50,963
Yeah.
1126
01:15:52,043 --> 01:15:56,883
It's taken a long time and a lot of
feeling pretty bad about everything
1127
01:15:56,923 --> 01:15:58,203
and...
1128
01:15:58,243 --> 01:15:59,643
I cannot imagine.
1129
01:15:59,683 --> 01:16:02,563
..I struggled, despite the fact
1130
01:16:02,603 --> 01:16:06,203
that I was really happy
that we saved you guys.
1131
01:16:06,243 --> 01:16:07,683
It was so hard...
WOMAN: Yeah.
1132
01:16:07,723 --> 01:16:09,443
..to know that I couldn't save
my own family.
1133
01:16:09,483 --> 01:16:10,483
Yeah.
1134
01:16:10,523 --> 01:16:13,283
And it took a long time
before I felt proud about this
1135
01:16:13,323 --> 01:16:15,603
and I think it was your birthday...
1136
01:16:15,643 --> 01:16:16,763
February.
1137
01:16:16,803 --> 01:16:18,803
..February, when I ran into you
in the shops.
1138
01:16:18,843 --> 01:16:20,243
It was the fact that, you know,
1139
01:16:20,283 --> 01:16:22,763
she got to have a birthday
that she wouldn't have...
1140
01:16:22,803 --> 01:16:24,603
Had. Yeah.
..wouldn't have had.
1141
01:16:24,643 --> 01:16:25,643
And...
Yeah.
1142
01:16:25,683 --> 01:16:28,123
But it took a long time to realise
that I should be happy.
1143
01:16:28,163 --> 01:16:30,523
Like, you know...
I know that sounds terrible but...
1144
01:16:30,563 --> 01:16:33,243
No. I have the most precious gift...
Yep.
1145
01:16:33,283 --> 01:16:34,683
..anyone could give me.
1146
01:16:34,723 --> 01:16:36,443
I have the five grandchildren.
1147
01:16:36,483 --> 01:16:39,763
And you know, I was beyond.
1148
01:16:39,803 --> 01:16:42,003
I had every veranda alight.
Yep.
1149
01:16:42,043 --> 01:16:44,603
I'd used up every resource of water.
Yeah, there were minutes...
1150
01:16:44,643 --> 01:16:47,603
I'd made a promise
to my grandchildren
1151
01:16:47,643 --> 01:16:51,083
that that fireman would come
and he did.
1152
01:16:51,123 --> 01:16:55,363
And then he went back
and he came back to Quaama again
1153
01:16:55,403 --> 01:16:57,443
and he came back to Quaama again.
1154
01:16:57,483 --> 01:16:59,883
And I see the faces...
Yep.
1155
01:16:59,923 --> 01:17:01,803
..of all the people
that you did save.
1156
01:17:01,843 --> 01:17:04,003
I'm sorry you couldn't save
your family.
1157
01:17:06,323 --> 01:17:09,563
I just can't imagine life
without mine.
1158
01:17:09,603 --> 01:17:11,123
Nothing.
Yeah.
1159
01:17:11,163 --> 01:17:12,443
Nothing.
1160
01:17:17,123 --> 01:17:19,003
Yeah, I don't know how we did it.
(LAUGHS)
1161
01:17:19,043 --> 01:17:20,723
I don't know how.
Yeah.
1162
01:17:20,763 --> 01:17:22,163
I think we had split seconds.
1163
01:17:22,203 --> 01:17:25,563
We had six calls for six houses
at the same time
1164
01:17:25,603 --> 01:17:27,763
and yours was the one we chose
to go to first.
1165
01:17:27,803 --> 01:17:30,363
My youngest one asked you,
"Will we die?"
1166
01:17:30,403 --> 01:17:32,523
And I remember you went...
1167
01:17:32,563 --> 01:17:35,603
I was expecting you to say
"Of course not"
1168
01:17:35,643 --> 01:17:38,283
and I looked at the sight
of your face when you went,
1169
01:17:38,323 --> 01:17:41,003
"We'll do our best."
Yep.
1170
01:17:41,043 --> 01:17:43,043
I'm, like,
"Wow, we're in big trouble."
1171
01:17:43,083 --> 01:17:45,523
I didn't think we'd get back out.
1172
01:17:45,563 --> 01:17:47,363
We just thought we were safe.
Mmm.
1173
01:17:47,403 --> 01:17:49,003
We had two firemen in the front seat
1174
01:17:49,043 --> 01:17:51,243
that had got every one of us
out of that house
1175
01:17:51,283 --> 01:17:53,163
and I remember you
telling the kids...
1176
01:17:53,203 --> 01:17:55,523
We kept an eye out for the cops
because there was...
1177
01:17:55,563 --> 01:17:57,643
Double demerits.
Double demerits.
1178
01:17:57,683 --> 01:17:59,443
And we had nine of us
in a five-seater.
1179
01:17:59,483 --> 01:18:00,563
Nine in the car.
Yeah.
1180
01:18:00,603 --> 01:18:02,763
Three children in the boot.
And it was, like...
1181
01:18:02,803 --> 01:18:05,523
'Cause I was trying to be funny
at the time and I didn't... (LAUGHS)
1182
01:18:05,563 --> 01:18:06,603
We were so distracted.
1183
01:18:06,643 --> 01:18:08,163
I was just glad
to have someone there
1184
01:18:08,203 --> 01:18:09,363
that knew what they were doing.
1185
01:18:09,403 --> 01:18:11,363
We had a pretty big adventure.
1186
01:18:11,403 --> 01:18:15,203
I don't think anyone would be able to
beat that. That was huge.
1187
01:18:15,243 --> 01:18:17,803
Went with Mad Max through fireballs
and everything, didn't we?
1188
01:18:17,843 --> 01:18:18,923
GIRL: Yeah.
1189
01:18:20,523 --> 01:18:23,443
I often wonder
and I often question why...
1190
01:18:23,483 --> 01:18:25,563
why I joined and why I stayed.
1191
01:18:25,603 --> 01:18:26,843
And they are very different things.
1192
01:18:29,683 --> 01:18:32,243
I joined because,
as a 16-year-old kid,
1193
01:18:32,283 --> 01:18:35,403
I watched my dad do something
that was kind of cool.
1194
01:18:36,603 --> 01:18:39,843
Like, my dad went out on fire trucks
and put out fires.
1195
01:18:41,043 --> 01:18:46,043
I stay because we get to make
a difference on somebody's life
1196
01:18:46,083 --> 01:18:47,283
at their worst moment.
1197
01:18:47,323 --> 01:18:51,523
There are people who are here now
because of the actions that I did
1198
01:18:51,563 --> 01:18:54,243
and if you think back
to 15-year-old Nathan,
1199
01:18:54,283 --> 01:18:56,203
who was making the decision
to join up,
1200
01:18:56,243 --> 01:18:58,203
those decisions back then,
1201
01:18:58,243 --> 01:19:00,483
12 years later, made the difference
in someone's life.
1202
01:19:00,523 --> 01:19:03,003
It makes me proud.
1203
01:19:03,043 --> 01:19:04,283
I'm proud, more than anything,
1204
01:19:04,323 --> 01:19:07,643
to stand alongside my dad
and my brother and do what we do
1205
01:19:07,683 --> 01:19:11,243
and I would...
1206
01:19:11,283 --> 01:19:13,403
I don't know what I would do
without it.
1207
01:19:17,283 --> 01:19:19,803
ROSEY BARNDEN: I would never,
ever ask them not to do it
1208
01:19:19,843 --> 01:19:22,563
because that's who they all are
1209
01:19:22,603 --> 01:19:29,163
and supporting these guys and seeing
them still being able to go out
1210
01:19:29,203 --> 01:19:33,123
and do what they do
helps me too, so...
1211
01:19:33,163 --> 01:19:37,243
And, yeah, that's why
I'd never ask them to give it up.
1212
01:19:40,443 --> 01:19:42,243
Hey, Justin. How are you, mate?
1213
01:19:42,283 --> 01:19:43,883
Are you good?
How you going, brother?
1214
01:19:43,923 --> 01:19:46,003
Yeah, good. And yourself?
We've gotta stop meeting like this.
1215
01:19:46,043 --> 01:19:47,843
(BOTH LAUGH)
People will start talking.
1216
01:19:47,883 --> 01:19:49,643
Hey, Vicky!
How are you?
1217
01:19:49,683 --> 01:19:52,043
Hey, darl. Are you well?
Really good to see you.
1218
01:19:52,083 --> 01:19:53,603
I haven't seen you for ages.
1219
01:19:57,443 --> 01:19:58,843
JUSTIN: Nobody
is without their faults.
1220
01:19:58,883 --> 01:20:01,363
Brendan can be absolutely
hard-headed sometimes.
1221
01:20:01,403 --> 01:20:02,523
(LAUGHS) Oh, yes.
1222
01:20:02,563 --> 01:20:05,243
However, you know, in saying that,
1223
01:20:05,283 --> 01:20:08,483
you know, that hard-headedness
saved this village.
1224
01:20:09,683 --> 01:20:11,683
(SINGS)
# 24th of November
1225
01:20:13,443 --> 01:20:15,643
# After a lightning storm
1226
01:20:17,803 --> 01:20:19,523
# Green Wattle fire
1227
01:20:21,883 --> 01:20:24,163
# 100 miles to blow... #
1228
01:20:24,203 --> 01:20:25,843
I love where I live.
1229
01:20:25,883 --> 01:20:28,483
# Thought the town would burn... #
Love the people.
1230
01:20:28,523 --> 01:20:30,523
We're like a big family
in the village.
1231
01:20:30,563 --> 01:20:33,403
With my crew, they're like brothers
and sisters to me,
1232
01:20:33,443 --> 01:20:36,283
which is what we call each other,
'brother' and 'sister'.
1233
01:20:36,323 --> 01:20:39,723
You know, the camaraderie
never goes away.
1234
01:20:39,763 --> 01:20:44,003
You know, I want to make sure they're
safe and that our residents are safe,
1235
01:20:44,043 --> 01:20:46,203
our village is safe
1236
01:20:46,243 --> 01:20:52,003
and that's why I still do it,
for the people in the village, yep.
1237
01:20:52,043 --> 01:21:03,523
# Thank those heroes in yellow
1238
01:21:03,563 --> 01:21:05,763
# Sleep peacefully tonight
1239
01:21:11,163 --> 01:21:14,603
# Thank those heroes in yellow. #
1240
01:21:14,643 --> 01:21:16,243
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
1241
01:21:16,283 --> 01:21:19,003
MAN: Beautiful! Beautiful!
1242
01:21:21,963 --> 01:21:23,803
JUSTIN KAM: This is our home.
1243
01:21:24,803 --> 01:21:28,323
Our property is our little patch
of paradise for us, you know.
1244
01:21:28,363 --> 01:21:30,243
It's a beautiful place.
1245
01:21:31,403 --> 01:21:33,123
HELENA KAM: Gabriel was born here.
(LAUGHS)
1246
01:21:33,163 --> 01:21:34,683
Yeah, we're resilient.
1247
01:21:34,723 --> 01:21:35,963
(LAUGHS)
1248
01:21:36,003 --> 01:21:37,723
And buggers at it too.
(BOTH LAUGH)
1249
01:21:37,763 --> 01:21:39,123
We're just stubborn people too.
1250
01:21:39,163 --> 01:21:41,323
You're not gonna get rid of us
that easy.
1251
01:21:43,203 --> 01:21:45,083
BARBARA STEWART:
A lot of people have said to me
1252
01:21:45,123 --> 01:21:48,403
that they just can't get over that
I can still have a sense of humour
1253
01:21:48,443 --> 01:21:51,603
and laugh about
what's been going on.
1254
01:21:51,643 --> 01:21:55,443
I do cry but I cry quietly
behind my own door.
1255
01:21:57,403 --> 01:22:01,523
I lost so many things,
precious things
1256
01:22:01,563 --> 01:22:05,683
but as my son said,
"Mum, they're just things."
1257
01:22:07,363 --> 01:22:10,963
EMILY COPLEY-MOORBY: At the end
of the day, I didn't lose anything.
1258
01:22:11,003 --> 01:22:12,363
I was just here for it.
1259
01:22:12,403 --> 01:22:14,843
But the way that I move on
1260
01:22:14,883 --> 01:22:18,443
is by helping people
who are suffering more than I am.
1261
01:22:20,363 --> 01:22:22,763
SHANE FITZSIMMONS: I would challenge
anybody across Australia
1262
01:22:22,803 --> 01:22:24,443
to look in their local community
1263
01:22:24,483 --> 01:22:26,243
and ask yourself,
"What's working well here?"
1264
01:22:26,283 --> 01:22:29,523
And I'm willing to bet you that
it'll be underpinned by volunteers.
1265
01:22:30,763 --> 01:22:35,523
MAN: Every time I release a koala
and we see it go up the tree,
1266
01:22:35,563 --> 01:22:39,763
every time I release them, I just
say, "That's why we do what we do."
1267
01:22:42,203 --> 01:22:45,243
PAULA ZAJA: You know, they say
if you want love, you give love.
1268
01:22:45,283 --> 01:22:48,483
If you need help, help someone else.
1269
01:22:49,723 --> 01:22:51,723
My identity was linked as a victim
1270
01:22:51,763 --> 01:22:55,643
and as soon as you start doing things
for others, your identity changes
1271
01:22:55,683 --> 01:22:58,443
and your value in you changes,
so I'm not that victim anymore.
1272
01:22:58,483 --> 01:23:01,123
You know, I've been able to take that
and make good out of it.
1273
01:23:03,083 --> 01:23:05,603
Giving back makes you bigger.
1274
01:23:05,643 --> 01:23:08,123
Helping someone else
makes you better.
1275
01:23:09,523 --> 01:23:12,723
MAX CARRASCO: The most beautiful
reward that I had,
1276
01:23:12,763 --> 01:23:14,443
this little girl...
1277
01:23:14,483 --> 01:23:17,163
I'm sorry.
1278
01:23:17,203 --> 01:23:18,763
(CRIES)
1279
01:23:22,523 --> 01:23:25,323
She saw the uniform...
1280
01:23:26,323 --> 01:23:31,323
and she just ran to me
and give me a big hug.
1281
01:23:31,363 --> 01:23:34,083
And she said,
"Thank you, Mr Firefighter.
1282
01:23:34,123 --> 01:23:36,803
"You saved my house."
1283
01:23:36,843 --> 01:23:39,043
Do I get money for that?
1284
01:23:39,083 --> 01:23:40,923
There's no money in the world
can pay that.
1285
01:23:40,963 --> 01:23:42,603
No money.
1286
01:23:49,443 --> 01:23:51,563
NATHAN BARNDEN: "I read of a man
who stood to speak
1287
01:23:51,603 --> 01:23:53,803
"At the funeral of a friend
1288
01:23:53,843 --> 01:23:56,843
"He referred to the dates
on the tombstone
1289
01:23:56,883 --> 01:23:58,883
"From the beginning to the end.
1290
01:23:58,923 --> 01:24:02,403
"He noted the first came
the date of birth
1291
01:24:02,443 --> 01:24:05,843
"And spoke of the following date
with tears
1292
01:24:05,883 --> 01:24:08,443
"But what he said
mattered most of all
1293
01:24:08,483 --> 01:24:11,003
"Was the dash between those years.
1294
01:24:11,043 --> 01:24:14,643
"For that dash represents
all of the time
1295
01:24:14,683 --> 01:24:17,003
"That that person has spent alive
on Earth
1296
01:24:17,043 --> 01:24:22,243
"And now only those who love them
know what that little line is worth.
1297
01:24:23,603 --> 01:24:29,403
"For it matters not how much we own,
the cars, the house, the cash
1298
01:24:29,443 --> 01:24:32,643
"What matters most
is how we live and love
1299
01:24:32,683 --> 01:24:35,403
"And how we spend our dash.
1300
01:24:36,803 --> 01:24:38,683
"So, think about this long and hard
1301
01:24:38,723 --> 01:24:41,963
"Are there things
that you would like to change?
1302
01:24:42,003 --> 01:24:46,723
"For you never know how much time is
left that can still be rearranged.
1303
01:24:48,163 --> 01:24:54,483
"So, when your eulogy is being read
with your life's actions to rehash
1304
01:24:54,523 --> 01:24:57,163
"Would you be proud of the things
they say
1305
01:24:57,203 --> 01:24:59,803
"About how you spent your dash?"
1306
01:25:03,363 --> 01:25:06,363
Captioned by Ai-Media
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