Hillville neighbours wait out destructive fires together
Emma Matthews had been in her new home for one week before being forced to evacuate as the fires spread to her property.
Newcastle
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Neighbours Emma Matthews and Annabelle Brkic met fleeing their homes in Hillville last week.
They are now sleeping 10 metres away from each other at the Taree Showgrounds, with their dogs, kittens and horses.
Ms Matthews had just moved into her Hillville home two weeks ago, when she was forced to evacuate on Friday.
The neighbours have spent four days camped out together, feeding each other’s horses and children, Ms Matthews said.
“It’s been the an interesting introduction to the town,” Ms Matthews said, who moved up from Cooranbong with her family.
“It’s a great way to make friends on your street,” she said.
Ms Matthews has grave concerns for her house, which is surrounded by fire.
Conditions are meant to worsen today around Taree with forecasts of 37 degrees and dry North-Westerly winds.
Ms Matthews Hillville property is about 4km from where the intense Hillville fire started.
She began to cry, describing herself as usually tough: “I’ve only had one good cry about it”.
“We haven’t prepared because we just moved in,” she said.
They will be waiting out the fire at Taree Showgrounds for as long as it takes.
“Not much we can do. It is what it is. Thankfully our house is still standing today.”
“If the wind blows South, we’ll be stuffed,” she said.
Ms Matthews and Ms Brkic’s children will go to school together next year and they say they’ve made lifelong friends under these terrible circumstances.