The hot sun blazed down on Church Street Whittlesea on the Country Music Show. Singers and musicians and dancers and a happy crowd sweltered in the sun’s fierce glow.
While they enjoyed themselves, despite the heat, no one in that crowd’s imagination dreamed that many miles away, a spark would start this massive conflagration.
It started at Kilmore East, a spark from an electric line. That spark, lit the fire in, bone dry grass.
The strong hot wind then fanned it. Flame raced across to the Hume Highway which it found easy to pass.
It jumped the very busy Hume Highway, like a doped race horse gone insane. Across the pine trees and paddocks it raced towards Wandong and Clonbinane .
As the fire front advanced, it picked up speed, it grew and grew in strength, spread out to miles and miles wider, and sped forward to ever great length. The Country fire brigade at Wandong saved many houses, caught in the bushfires way. The helicopters came and did a great job, but even they just couldn’t save the day.
Clonbinane and North Mountain Road and Wandong lost houses and lives as they felt the brunt.
The wind so strong, the fire fast moving and fierce. No amount of machines or men could now contain this front.
By afternoon, from Whittlesea, the immense smoke cloud filled the northern sky. No other clouds in the sky that day. That smoke cloud rose thousands of feet high.
It blanketed Mt Disappointment, Hume vale, Toorourrong, Flowerdale, Kinglake as well.
This was a major problem. Where was the fire front? No one knew or could really tell. The fire swept right across the mountain, burnt ground and trees jet black, to the very peak.
At dark, the mountain glowed like lava with burning trees. Some smoke for near a week.
The fire front moved so fast ahead. It overwhelmed the fire fighting force, they had no accurate information to give.
No sirens went, no church bells rung. No radio warning, no mobile text, no vital message to help the folk to live.
With dense smoke blanketing everything, the smoke turned day in its path to night. The first some knew, was burning embers lighting grass, then the Bushfire flames came in sight.
It hit Humevale, at all the houses on the ridge. The ember attack was like a million shining knives.
The Toorourrong Reservoir was a peaceful, picnic ground, a very popular pleasant spot.
The fire devastated it. Burnt houses, trees, pergolas, picnic tables, destroyed the lot.
As the afternoon went on, the fire climbed the range to Coombes Road, it didn’t slacken its pace.
Burnt right across that exposed ridge. More lives were lost and houses and farms and trees. It hardly missed a place.
Then it struck Kinglake West, took Tommy’s Hut and store and garage and I believe much more.
The fire then continued north burning houses and what was Collars Store.
Then Flowerdale was badly hit with too many deaths and many houses lost along Creekside Drive.
I have since driven down that blackened tree lined road. I marvel anyone could come out of that alive.
From Kinglake West burnt its way, burning this place and then missed the school and other places.
It burnt three churches around Kinglake then through the Mason’s Falls National park and nearby houses it races.
It left the new Buddhist Temple, which is just completed and still stands out in all its glory.
It burnt along National Park Road, took many homes and lives and livelihoods, the ruined houses all tell a heartbreaking story.
Then it hit Kinglake village Shops, the hardware store, the petrol store, many houses and too many lives were lost.
The pub was saved. A man sprayed the roof as embers fell. The police station saved. So little saved at a monumental cost.
Then, moving like a tsunami tidal wave of flames of tree top height, the fire swept down on Strathewen and struck it with all its might.
Whole families burnt to death, the great small community devastated houses and Hall and school all gone. Burnt in one terrible night.
I have since been to St Andrews, down the Mt Slide road, through miles and miles of trees, burnt jet black.
The heat was enough to melt aluminium, heat from high gums burning, on the front and often, for miles further back.
The fire went on to Chum Creek and Dixons Creek and another to Marysville and Narbethong.
Before the fire was at last contained, it was many weeks, into months – I don’t really know how long.
Many other places were burnt and devastated, a lot I don’t know of and lot I haven’t seen.
These villages will recover in time, they’ve all begun to rebuild, they are all capable and keen.
What lessons can we learn from this, what have we to do to avoid another disaster and the massive loss of life?
We must have better warning systems. Sirens and bells, radio and mobile phone to warn us of coming strife.
When a dangerous bushfire heads in your direction and is way beyond control, there’s no time to stay and fight or sit and wait and pray.
We only get one family, one life time here, leave the bricks and mortar and leave the old homestead. Then you’ll fight another day.
Matt
