Threat played out fast

By Bridget Brady
THEY said they knew what was coming, but never expected the threat of fire to be so real, come so close or force them from their homes.
Residents from Neerim South, Jindivick and Noojee, who were affected by the Bunyip State Park fires, sought refuge at the Warragul Leisure Centre on Saturday night, and nervously waited for news about the safety of their homes.
Jenny and Trevor Roach, from Neerim East, were among more than 300 people who arrived at the Warragul Leisure Centre at the weekend after fleeing their home.
Mr Roach spent all of Sunday ringing their home phone.
“I’m getting the answering machine, so at least I know the house is still there. So long as I keep ringing and getting the machine I know it’s safe,” Mr Roach said. “It has opened our eyes. We won’t be so blase about it next time.”
Mrs Roach said the day started off calm.
“It was like the calm before the storm,” she said. “It was eerie.”
The couple sat in the airconditioned comfort of their home and listened to the radio all of Saturday before fire came frightfully close.
“Before we knew it the fire was right near us. So we put our fire plan into action. It was just horrific … the sky went black and purple,” Mrs Roach said. “The conditions changed in a split second. We thought, we’re miles away from this. But then the sky just went black and the wind was swirling,” Mr Roach said.
The couple left their home about 5.30pm on Saturday and joined more than 200 residents who gathered at the Neerim South football oval.
“They (firefighters) told us that if we were going to leave we had to do it by 11.15pm. They were closing the road then. They told us if we stayed after that there would be no one here to help us,” Mrs Roach said. “If you stayed there you would not have been able to breathe … I have prayed. I have strong faith.
“We have heard around here that a lot of farmers dropped their wives and children off here and have gone back … they have a lot more at stake. It’s their livelihood.”
Baw Baw Shire mayor Ruth McGowan spent all of Saturday defending her Jindivick home and said it was a frightening day.
“My house is safe but my neighbours have lost theirs. But we still don’t know how bad this is. I just came down here to see how the community is faring,” Cr McGowan said.
Margueritte Deen, from Whites Corner, fled her home with her husband and four children.
“We were black and covered in soot,” she said. “We left two cats and a litter of seven kittens at home. That was devastating.”
Despite the terrifying fires, Mary Conkie from Neerim South still had her sense of humour.
“I was packing things and I took every picture off the wall then I took a step back and it actually made me realise the walls need a good paint,” she said with a laugh.