Living History

So Close

It was a Friday morning in mid December almost twenty nine years ago. We had moved into our newly built home three years before after having rented a semi detached terrace in the oldest area of the city for the previous twenty years, and both of us were delighting in developing our bush paradise.

The wind was westerly, intensifying as the day progressed. Alone in the house with all the windows and doors closed because of the oppressive heat, I opened a curtain to an incredible sight. Fire suddenly appeared in the valley between the thickly treed ridge on the western horizon and our populated one.



I watched, spellbound, from my upstairs window as the fire sped along, igniting everything in it’s path, including vegetation on a vacant block directly opposite where I stood. Perhaps it was the road that turned it back on itself and away from the higher side of our street. Many of the homes backing onto the path of the fire sustained extensive damage to fencing, trees and other landscaping but not one was lost.

The area had been recently developed and I have since learned the fear of travelling home in those conditions and seeing smoke in our direction; then the relief of arriving home to find that all is well. At that time I was not afraid. Fascinated by witnessing the beginning and escalation of such an awesome spectacle I had not realized the anxiety my loved one, and those of my neighbours, must be experiencing until our only road in and out was closed. Then I shared the anxiety.



Our community was very fortunate. There have been many devastating bushfires in our suburb, another just a month later; this and surrounding areas of the shire border on the Royal National Park and so it is a constant summer threat. But it is a price we pay to continue to live in such a beautiful environment, confident in the ability of the marvelous Rural Fire Service and many dedicated volunteers to protect and support us in times of peril. We salute them.

Tess, Engadine, NSW

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