A community's heart breaks as flames devour homes. The fast-moving Victorian fire has left the tight-knit community of Natimuk reeling, counting the devastating cost of the blaze. Let's delve into the heart of this tragedy.
Pat Ford, enjoying a peaceful cup of tea at his Natimuk home, was abruptly jolted by the piercing sirens of the local fire station. These sirens were a stark warning that their township was under imminent threat. Natimuk, a community of approximately 500 residents, lies about 25 kilometers west of Horsham in Victoria.
As of Saturday evening, the town remained under a Watch and Act alert, and the community braced for days without power. Pat Ford, a resident of the area for 30 years, having retired to Natimuk in 2017, shared his experience. He recounted that the fire had claimed 15 structures on Friday, a figure that, sadly, remained unconfirmed by the Country Fire Authority.
Ford revealed that he was with a friend, a member of the local CFA, when the sirens first wailed on Friday morning. He immediately initiated his fire plan. "We started looking at our fire plan and I said to my wife 'okay, pack a bag and I will block all the gutters and fill them with water and then we will get out of town'," he explained. "By the time I'd blocked four gutters, four downpipes and put the hoses on, we … were in the middle of the smoke." The fire's relentless advance was almost unbelievable, covering about 13 kilometers in a mere 20 to 25 minutes.
But here's where it gets controversial... While Ford's home was miraculously spared, the same fortune didn't extend to others. "Some of the families that have come in today are just standing there and looking at their houses with devastation. They're just flat on the ground," he said, his voice heavy with empathy. "I thought after last year we'd be okay. I didn't expect this to hit us like it did and I don't think anyone did."
A relief center was promptly established at the Horsham Town Hall to support those affected by the fire in the Wimmera area. Terry Fradd, Horsham's assistant chief fire officer, praised the extraordinary efforts of local firefighters, who were supported by farmers and the wider community.
"They worked tirelessly throughout the day and night, and we even had a lot of farmers with [machinery] which made such a huge difference," he said. "It saved numerous houses by [having] that. We also had private appliances, which were old CFA trucks that farmers have bought off their own accord. They were on the fire ground as well."
Ford anticipated that the community would remain united as they grappled with the aftermath. "Natimuk is an amazing little resilient community. Every now and again we have something thrown at the township," he said. "They always bounce and get behind each other."
And this is the part most people miss... The speed and intensity of these fires are becoming more common. What do you think can be done to better prepare communities for these events? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Do you think the response was adequate? What could have been improved?
