Caroline Taylor fled to beach to escape out of control Kangaroo Island Bushfire
A woman has revealed her remarkable story of survival after a KI bushfire drove her onto the beach, and then into the sea, as embers rained down for hours.
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A woman has told how embers rained on her as she sheltered in the sea during a daring escape from the Kangaroo Island blaze.
Resident Caroline Taylor thought she was going to die as the fire bore down on her and three European backpackers as they sought refuge on the remote Western River Cove, on KI’s northwest.
The blaze was among multiple fires started by lighting on Friday afternoon and which spread rapidly through inaccessible scrub fanned by gale-force winds on the north of KI between Western River and Emu Bay.
Ms Taylor fled to the beach about 2.30pm on Friday fearing she would become trapped in her house as spot fires erupted around her 40ha property.
“I was lying in the water with a towel on my head and there were embers falling into the water,” she told the Sunday Mail yesterday.
“It was unbelievable … I could only breathe through the towel. There was a wind like you wouldn’t believe, it was so strong.
“There are two headlands on the east and west (of the beach) and sandhills but, unfortunately, both headlands and the sandhills were on fire.”
The artist, whose husband Bill was in Adelaide, encountered the German, Spanish and French backpackers who were camping nearby and urged them to remain at the beach.
Ms Taylor said she stayed in the water for four hours as smoke blanketed the beach, recognised as among KI’s most pristine.
At one stage they all began scrambling along headlands and cliffs with spotfires breaking out around them.
“We hid in rocks, in caves, all over the place … it was pretty grim,” she said.
“The fire was coming from all directions. We were trapped in the cove, fire was whirling around on the beach.”
Ms Taylor said they went back to her house at one point but encountered a wall of fire and returned to the beach.
As the fire got closer, she said the backpackers clambered over a headland on the western side of the cove.
“I couldn’t see them and I assumed they were dead when I saw a great big wall of flame shoot past,” she said.
“I couldn’t see on the beach it was so pitch black. I thought I’d die there.”
Ms Taylor returned to her house about 7.30pm once the smoke had lifted.
Meanwhile, Mr Taylor had contacted local CFS after receiving a desperate phone call from his wife. While other volunteers were battling the fires, a single “heroic” firefighter, Michael Swaine, risked his life to save Ms Taylor as flames raged around the house.
“There was fire everywhere – the garden was alight and I got into the (fire) truck and then the backpackers came up the driveway,” she said.
“We drove through fire, dodging fallen trees and eventually got back to Parndana. Michael was really brave, he came alone and I can’t imagine how scary that would have been.”
Ms Taylor, who has lived on KI for 15 years, said she had never experienced such treacherous conditions.
“It was terrible, it was such an incredible sight,” she said. “It was an experience that I hope I never see again.”
She was last night in Kingscote, hoping to return to see her house today. Asked if her house was saved, she replied: “It’s looking good.”
Her is one of many tales of survival emerging in the wake of the fires, including Angus Campbell, who filmed as fire came within metres of his door.
