Glen Innes fire: Two people dead after wall of flame destroys township

A remote forested community built around a hippie commune where two people died was like a ‘war’ zone, local tells.

A Wytaliba homeowner has described the harrowing moment a “massive wall of fire” swept through the densely-forested community 35km east of Glen Innes in northern New South Wales.

The small township, built around a hippie commune founded in the 1970s and nestled in the steep mountain valleys between the Mann River Nature Reserve and Barool National Park, was directly in the path of a fire that raced over the range on Friday afternoon, claiming the lives of two local residents.

Vivian Chaplain, 69, died in Concord Hospital on Saturday after a neighbour found her on Friday night with burns to more than 40 per cent of her body.

Burnt-out cars and fallen trees in Wytaliba. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

The twisted remains of a home in Wytaliba. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

The body of George Nole was found in a burnt-out car by firefighters on Saturday morning.

Several residents were hospitalised with burns and it was feared that some remained missing.

Dozens of homes were razed to the ground, the local primary school destroyed and the surrounding eucalypt forest blackened by the blaze.

A bridge crossing the Mann River collapsed after wooden support beams caught fire.

Even the local fire brigade shed was singed by the flames.

READ MORE: Three dead in ‘hell on Earth’ | Authorities warn of worse to come

Many residents who were unable to escape before the bridge collapsed spent Friday night on a local sports oval.

One resident estimated 80 per cent of the community’s buildings were gone.

Homeowner Mirek sustained burns to his hands and feet while fighting to save his home.

Many of his belongings, including sheds, were destroyed, but his partially-built house, which had spot fires inside it, remained standing.

He credited a smaller blaze about a month ago with saving his property because it reduced the amount of vegetation surrounding his house.

Wytaliba fire survivor Mirek, who fought to save his home, is evacuated by chopper with burns the day after a fierce bush fire claimed the lives of two people in the area. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

“At least I saved, partially, my place,” Mirek told The Australian.

“But all my neighbour’s (homes) are gone. On the left, right, above me, gone.

“I suppose I’m lucky.

“It was pretty powerful. I never saw anything like that.”

Mirek had been at a neighbour’s house about 3pm Friday when the sky outside went dark.

“I thought, ‘what’s going on, is the sun going out?’,” he said.

“I went out to check it and there was a massive orange cloud completely blocking the sun.”

By the time he got home the fire was racing down the steep slopes surrounding his property.

“I saw this massive wall of fire coming towards me with a wind gust that was knocking me off my feet,” he said.

“It was so strong.

“Then you could hear all the banging with trees exploding. It was like a war.”

Faced with the decision to evacuate or protect his home, Mirek realised it was too dangerous to leave.

“I saved the main house, but the shed’s gone,” he said.

“My ponds are gone, my hot water system and all the pipes melted.”

He was still putting out fires at 6am Saturday morning.

A local surveys the remains of the fire on the road to Wytaliba on Saturday. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

Mirek stayed in Wytaliba until Saturday afternoon when he hitched a ride with a police convoy and was met by paramedics who treated his burns before he was flown to hospital in a rescue helicopter.

Police and firefighters graded a makeshift road next to the burnt-out bridge to cross into the community and check on residents.

Giant eucalypts were strewn across the road into the township and many trees were still burning on Saturday evening.

Dozens of wallabies were huddled in the few unscorched areas, many with their fur singed and feet burnt.

The “Kangawalla” fire which tore through the community has spread more than 12,500 hectares.

Firefighters spent Saturday afternoon working to prevent the fire from crossing to the northern side of the Gwydir Highway, which was closed.