NSW bushfire death toll rises as man found dead at Bodalla house
Friends and family of a man who died while protecting his home from a bushfire have described Michael Clarke, 59, as a good man who loved his property in Bodalla. His death pushed the national toll to 33, with 25 of them perishing in NSW alone.
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Farmer Michael Clarke battened down the hatches and hid in the bathroom of his remote farm house, despite concerns from family and firefighters the bushfire was half an hour away.
The stubborn pecan farmer, 59, told friends he would barricade himself in the shower, believing the fire would roll over the 128-acre property he built in rural Bodalla.Mr Clarke’s death brings the death toll of this bushfire season to 25 in NSW and 33 in Australia.
When the wall of flames arrived at 3pm on Thursday, he called his brother, telling him “the house is on fire”.
His brother Shane begged him to leave and seek shelter but instead he locked himself in the shower in an effort to keep wet.
Close friend of the family Hayden Vandenheuve found him the next day believing he had heeded warnings from the RFS to evacuate at 2.30pm the day before.
“It was horrific finding him. I was checking the property to see if it had survived and found him,” he said.
“He told me if the fire came he would stay and protect the property and hide in the shower.
“I didn’t expect to find him there, It was horrific, he was a kind lovely guy, like an uncle to me.
“Whatever I needed he bought me, we’ve lost a good guy, I feel lovely without him.”
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Clarke was found slumped in the downstairs shower room the following morning.
Friends recalled a stubborn man with a gentle soul.
“He has a strong mind, a stoic salt of the earth type of man, he wouldn’t budge from the house,” said Hayden’s mother Carrie.
“He loved that property, it was his peace.
“Micheal was a bit of a loner, but my son Hayden loved him and Michael loved him back.”
On Saturday, friends gathered at the smouldering remains of the house drinking cans of VB in his honour.
“He loved the bush and always wanted to die in it, his dream came true,” former school friend Steve Napier said.
“My son Hayden found him, he’s lost an uncle in Micheal. Micheal was a loner, a bit of an eccentric, he spoke beautifully and wrote beautiful letters.”
Old friend Tony Foulis recalled a generous man who kept few friends.
“I’ve lost a dear friend, he left it too late, he loved a beer, the bush was his life,” he said.
“He’d give you the shirt off his back, he restored an old oak table and gave it to me because it was clogging up his garage.”
Dozens of homes were destroyed when a bushfire ripped through the region.
The same day three US firefighters died when their aerial water tanker crashed northeast of Cooma.
NSW Emergency Services Minister David Elliott said yesterday the fire season was the “darkest summer” in state history.
“I’m hoping we don’t have a repeat next year, or the year after or for the next 10 years, but the reality is, we probably will,” he said.
Mr Clarke’s death brings the death toll of this bushfire season to 25 in NSW and 33 in Australia.
The fire came within 150m of Moruya Hospital but was saved by rural firefighters.
Also, to the north a RFS truck rolled at Mogo just after 11pm.
The six firefighters on-board were able to get out of the truck themselves but were taken to hospital for treatment, with all escaping major injury.
It ended a horror week after the tragic deaths three American firefighters who were killed when the aerial water tanker they were in crashed west of Moruya, while battling wildfires in Australia have been identified by their employer.
The men who died Thursday in the crash of the C-130 Hercules were Capt. Ian H. McBeth, 44, of Great Falls, Montana; First Officer Paul Clyde Hudson, 42, of Buckeye, Arizona; and Flight Engineer Rick A. DeMorgan Jr., 43, of Navarre, Florida, Canada-based Coulson Aviation said in a statement.
Originally published as NSW bushfire death toll rises as man found dead at Bodalla house