Green Wattle Creek blaze: Families separated by road blocks
Oakdale residents hunkered down in their homes as an emergency level bushfire in Greek Wattle Creek headed south to the town.
NSW
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Oakdale residents hunkered down in their homes as an emergency level bushfire in Green Wattle Creek headed south to the town.
Warnings to seek shelter were sent out by NSW Rural Fire Service just before 4pm for residents in Oakdale, Nattai, Werombi, Belimba Park and Orangeville.
Local Stephen Schew said he was not planning on leaving his home of 43 years unless the fire came right to his front yard.
“I was here during the 2001 fires and managed to keep my house safe. Once it gets into the paddock then I’ll consider leaving but not as yet,” he said.
“My son is here with me today. I was more concerned last night because of the smoke. I ended up going to my daughter’s place because the smoke was so bad I could barely breath.
“I’ve always lived in the country and we’ve always fought fires. It’s just part of living here
“We used to do hazard reduction burns but they never let us now. It doesn’t take much to light up when there is hot weather and it’s this dry.”
One distraught mother was spotted waiting by Dietz Lane where police turned back her car.
“My daughters are in there in the house that’s burning with my ex-husband and they won’t let me go in,” she said through tears.
“They are 13 and 15 and they’ve been ringing me crying. Now I can’t get onto them. I don’t care if they charge me I just want to drive in there and get my kids.”
Police allowed the local to finally go and get her children when fire conditions eased just before 6pm.
Her ex-husband and fellow Oakdale resident Brad Beard said his young daughters were terrified when the fire ravaged through his backyard.
“About lunch time there were spot fires. Then the fire come up through the creek and my timber in the back was all on fire,” he said.
“I got all the sprinklers going. Got the hose going. The fireys were just legends, they were here just helping.”
Mr Beard has been searching the fire ground for his cattle after conditions eased.
“The cattle is all gone. The gates are open. I hope they have gone to the neighbour’s as otherwise there’s a national park out back and they may never come back.”
But even after water bombing the region, one exhausted firefighter at the scene said there was plenty of work still to be done.
“There are flames everywhere. Anywhere you go you’ll run into them,” he said.