'We have packed our bags just in case'

Australia based Mullingar family speak about life a short distance from the bushfires.

A New South Wales based Mullingar family living close to one of the regions devastated by bushfires in the last week has spoken of the impact the crisis has had on their adopted home.

Mullingar natives Deirdre Hughes and her husband Greg Bourke live in the coastal town of Kiama, 120km south of Sydney, with their three children Clodagh (7), Tadhg (5) and Fiona (19 months).

It is only a short distance from one of the bushfires that have destroyed neighbouring communities and forced thousands of people to flee their homes.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner via Facebook on Monday of this week, Deirdre says that she and her family have experienced an anxious few days as they waited to see which course the fires would take.

“We are currently not on the ‘watch and act’, ‘ember attack’ or the ‘fire spread’ but it is about 30 minutes down the road from us! We have had bad smoke now for quite some time.

“On New Year’s Eve at 4 o’clock it was dark and yellow outside like it’s the Apocalypse. We currently have a bag packed with passports and important items just in case.

“Last Saturday, January 4, was the worst day and people were scared. The fires jumped the Shoalhaven river, which is 40km away from us. Luckily for us it went inland but it burnt down homes in kangaroo valley.

“Things still haven’t settled as we are getting weird weather.

“Last night we had a thunderstorm and is was so loud a massive bang was heard from the lightning hitting power lines close to us at Minnamurra headland, about a kilometre away from us, but lucky the fire brigade got to it quickly.”

Emigrated

Deirdre and her husband emigrated to Australia eight years ago. She says that it “devastating” to see the impact the fires have had on communities throughout New South Wales and Victoria.

“Thousands of Firefighters are away from their families risking their lives to fight the fires. Houses are lost. A billion animals have lost their lives.

“Vineyards are gone. Vines which make the vintage wines, once planted, will take seven years for the first usable grapes, but 30 years for excellent wines that Australia has been renowned for.

“The loss is incalculable. Poor Australia!”