Meet Zoe
By Zoe Thomas.
Growing up in Perth, bush fires have always been a dormant threat.
Lying in wait until summer, where it could unleash its rage and fury at any moment.
While a fire can be a beautiful thing – think cosy stone fireplace or even a bonfire on a chilly winter’s night, it can cause catastrophic damage to people, property and wildlife if left unchecked.
In February 2021, my family and I came close to losing everything in the WA Wooroloo bush fires.
That day, temperatures in the Hills were set to reach 38C and everyone was outside their homes enjoying the sunshine.
It was also the start of a snap five-day lockdown, after a case of Covid-19 was detected outside of hotel quarantine.
My family were cooling off around the pool when I noticed a plume of smoke in the distance.
A little worried, I remember mentioning it to my parents who assured me it was about 30km away and no cause for concern.
By the evening, this all changed.
The fire was out of control and emergency warnings had been issued for Gidgegannup, Brigadoon, Upper Swan and Bullsbrook.
I could see the fear in my mum’s eyes as she frantically gathered some belongings and told my sisters and I to drive to my grandpa’s house, while her and dad stayed back to secure our home and pack valuables.
You’d think a requirement of living in the Hills would involve having a detailed step by step fire plan, but it doesn’t.
While residents are encouraged to have one, no one can really prepare you for actually having to use it.
Amid such chaos, any measured plan goes out the window.
Mum and dad joined us with the cat and dog around 1.30am the next morning at my grandpa’s, and while I was able to catch a few winks, mum woke up constantly, checking her phone every 20 minutes or so to see if the wind had changed.
With the situation worsening, all we could do was wait and hope our family home and our horses would be spared.
The next morning, we awoke to news that 59 homes and over 20,000 acres had been destroyed.
Thankfully, the fire stopped 1.5km from our front door, but the scorched surrounds and deserted streets were a sombre reminder that so many others weren’t as lucky.
The Wooroloo fires raged for about six days and 86 homes were lost.
Hundreds of residents were displaced, and a countless number of wildlife became homeless.
Over the years I’ve seen Australia experience a greater number of these devastating bushfires.
During summer, visions of our country engulfed in flames, fire and emergency crews battling blazes and families running for safety have sadly become the norm on the news.
Videos of wildlife seeking refuge in the arms of rescuer’s have also gone viral and tugged at heart strings all over the world.
According to a recent study by Monash University, experts predict more than 2400 Australians will lose their lives to bushfires in the decade to 2030.
This terrifies me.
I can only hope that through greater education and awareness our country comes together to ensure these lives are spared.
The wrath of climate change is no longer on the horizon, it’s here.
It is real, it is happening but thankfully, there is still time to save our home.
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