Kim Giblin, Robyn Sammut and Bianca Scott are so relieved they are all safe now.
It came like a train, intense and hot, an inferno of destruction engulfing everything in its path, but in the crucible of the fire came a daring rescue.
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Kimberlee (Kim) Giblin was not deterred by the encroaching fire, rescuing seven horses, including Abby the water buffalo.
Refusing to leave the animals alone, especially her mare Rouge, Kim and her husband jumped in a water trough as the fire approached only 100 metres away.
“It just came so quick,” Kim said.
“We just hoped that it was going to pass us.
“My mare’s 28-years-old, and I was not going to leave her,” she said.
Kim let all the horses out so they could run down the end of the paddock and was thankful that Abby the water buffalo followed too.
Abby, the 25-year-old water buffalo.
“I figured if they are in this bit where there’s no grass, we’ve got a chance,” she said.
“I was so exhausted, the car was saying it was about 47°C at that stage.
“The biggest problem was these spot fires that were coming up because the ground was just so hot, and obviously, we had no water, so we just started bucketing water from the water troughs to put on the little spot fires.”
At the time, Kim’s friend Bianca was just a few houses down, trapped at her mum’s place as the fire encircled them.
Bianca said she knew Kim had gone to rescue both their animals and was trying to call both her and their neighbour Robyn, but couldn’t get through.
“The unknown of not knowing if my horses were okay, if Kim was alive, what the hell had happened, it was the worst feeling,” she said.
“It was just an emotional, distressing thing, I didn’t know if they were alive or dead.”
Kim Giblin and Bianca Scott with precious Abby the water buffalo
Bianca said the fire quickly surrounded her Mum’s house, and they had no way out.
“It just engulfed everywhere, all around, all the power lines were going down because they were all burning, so we really couldn't get out, because of the live lines, and it just burnt all around to all the external fences.
“You couldn't see anything, you couldn't breathe, I was literally scared for my life because my Mum would not get off the property, and I wasn't leaving her.”
Bianca said being in the heat was “intense” and described it as an “inferno.”
“It was like a wind turbine, it was pretty bloody scary,” she said.
“We're so blessed to have each other and have everyone safe, but it was so hard ...
“It came for everything, and it stopped for no-one.”
Thankfully, the fire didn’t reach Bianca’s mums house, but it stopped a mere 50 metres from it.
“Honestly, I can't commend the CFA, SES, whoever came, everyone and anyone came, the whole community,” Bianca said.
“What I love about this community is everyone and anyone stepped in, it takes a village, and everyone did it, despite the hell that we were going through.”
Robyn Sammut owns the paddock where Kim and Bianca keep their animals and lives next door, she saw Kim in the paddock with the horses as she rushed home.
Three friends who endured the Yarroweyah fire on Tobruk Rd, (from left), Kim Giblin, Robyn Sammut and Bianca Scott.
As Robyn was getting her animals, she realised she couldn’t see Kim any more and tried ringing her and Bianca, but couldn’t get through.
Robyn said the fire was coming “like a train.”
“I've never seen anything like it, literally came like a train, both sides, I was standing with neighbours that were watching their houses burn down,” she said.
“It was right on top of us before we knew it ... taking out the gear, taking out the feed, just lucky the girls are okay, and the stock are alive.
“It was a really horrific thing to watch ... there was nothing we could do.”
31°C