Brave crews recall devastation of Peregian firestorm

Standing in the middle of the Sunshine Motorway, with a firestorm enveloping the dense scrub in his line of sight, Mark Smith had only one thought: Do not let this fire jump.

OUR GRATITUDE: Firefighters from Doonan Rural Fire Brigade honoured for Rural Fire Week. Anna Uhrig, Ian Poad, First Officer Mark Smith and Chris Anderson.

STANDING in the middle of the Sunshine Motorway, with a fearsome firestorm enveloping the dense scrub in his line of sight, Mark Smith had only one thought: Do not let this fire jump.

The captain of the Doonan Rural Fire Brigade and his brave crew were thrown into the deep end of the vicious Peregian firestorm of September.

They were tasked to save houses and a community from what first responders called a “70m-high wall of fire”.

It took more than 600 firefighters two days to calm the out of control fire in “angry” bushland, with hundreds of residents evacuated and property destroyed in the pristine suburb.

READ: 90-year-old Peregian fire victim’s road to recovery

A monstrous and devastating fire ripped through Peregian Springs, Peregian Breeze and Peregian Beach heading north towards Marcus Beach and Noosa. Photo: John McCutcheon

Fleeing residents had to run from their homes with little but the shirts on their backs as an emergency situation was declared.

This week, Queensland has celebrated Rural Fire Week, a time to thank and acknowledge the efforts of more than 1125 Sunshine Coast mums and dads, everyday heroes.

Mr Smith, a car dealer by trade and volunteer by passion, said the intensity of that September fire was unlike anything he had experienced.

“Looking up and down the highway and seeing it, you just think ‘wow’. You could quite easily drop into the foetal position from it,” Mr Smith said.

“There would have been 30 odd trucks to my left and right.

“If it had of got over the motorway and kept going, it would have gone straight towards beachfront homes in Sunrise, Marcus Beach, Sunshine Beach.”

RELATED: How heroes saved Peregian from a wall of flames

Firefighters from Doonan Rural Fire Brigade honoured for Rural Fire Week. First Officer Mark Smith, Ian Poad, Anna Uhrig, and Chris Anderson.

He said the unpredictable nature of the fires could make it seem impossible to contain.

“When they get going in that country, they get angry. All the Peregian fires do.

“Fires are like a box of chocolates. You never know what they’re going to be like.

“The adrenaline kicks in, even though you’re fatigued you do what needs to be done. It is daunting and you do get scared but we always have a backup plan.”

Aaron Cook is another long-serving volunteer who worked 12-hour shifts in rotation for the Peregian fires entirety, then backed it up with Cooroibah fires.

READ: How the Cooroibah and Peregian fires were different

He too is unlikely to forget the ferocity of the Peregian fires.

“We were already at Caloundra with another fire and as soon as we finished that we high tailed it up to Peregian,” Mr Cook said.

“The size of the glow in the horizon was phenomenal. It was very daunting thing to drive towards.”

First Officer of Ilkley Rural Fire Brigade Aaron Cook (right) with his team Edwin Gerlach, Warren Patton, Justin Self, Brad Sheather Harry Baxter and Isaiah Seiler. Photo: Warren Lynam

The Ilkley Rural Fire Brigade captain said the first 20 minutes of that horror night was the stuff of nightmares.

“I have never seen an ember attack like it. Every one of the embers that touched the ground caught fire,” he said.

“The intensity in how it attacked the houses. We had to make sure none caught fire.”

Mr Cook, who has been a volunteer since 1994, said nothing compared to tackling Sunshine Coast firestorms.

Fierce winds fuelled the flames as they destroyed property and threatened more. Firefighters and emergency crews risked their lives to fight the front as it mercilessly rolled through dry bushland. Photo: John McCutcheon

“I’ve been out in the bush where we have battled fires for eight to 10 days, but those big fires might only impact 10 houses, here, it’s a whole community in the line,” he said.

“It was real hairy when we first got there. Real hairy.

“But we did our job and saved them.”

Both Mr Smith and Mr Cook said the rural fire service was a second family.

Lawyers, business owners, tradies, medical professionals, people of all ages and of all walks of life who came together for one cause.

“It’s a close bond of people. My life is in their hands, so you turn up for each other,” Mr Smith said.

“We always need more volunteers, come give it a go.”

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