Residents tell of movie-like scenes as bushfires approach Fingal from two directions

Fingal residents are preparing for the worst as bushfires approach the township from the north and the south ahead of worsening fire conditions.

FINGAL resident Pauline Lowe described the scene of a bushfires burning down a hill behind her home on Wednesday night as frightening, but strangely beautiful, like the lights of a big city.

Three generations of the Lowe family are prepared for the worst with bushfires closing in on the township from both the north and the south ahead of worsening fire conditions forecast for the weekend.

St Marys TFS Volunteer during back burning operations at Fingal. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

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Ms Lowe’s grandson Josh Lowe will stay and try to save his 83-year-old grandmother’s home of 25 years if things take a turn for the worse.

His parents, girlfriend and Ms Lowe will seek shelter at the evacuation centre at the St Marys Town Hall.

TFS volunteer Bob Williams, of St Helens, performs backburning operations at Fingal. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

“I won’t be leaving,” Mr Lowe said.

“I’ll be staying. This is my nan and pop’s house, so I’ll be staying to do the best I can with that, but my old nan and that will be out of here that’s for sure.”

Mr Lowe described the scene at Fingal over the past few days as like “something off a movie”.

“I haven’t seen anything like this. It was pretty bad [on Wednesday].

“The fire behind us burnt all the way down to the bottom of the hill last night and I’m not sure what’s going on with the one in front of us.”

Fingal residents Lily Spotswood, Pauline Lowe and Josh Lowe. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

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The family were monitoring the situation by listening to firefighters on UHF radio, monitoring the TFS website and listening to local radio.

“If it got to an emergency level, we just had all our stuff packed and ready to go.

UHFs and stuff like that, listening to the fireys.”

Fingal resident Tony Verren prepares for the fire. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

Ms Lowe said she had her most valuable personal belongings packed ready to evacuate, and most valuable of all were her photos.

“It would be good if you could take the lot, but you can’t,” she said.

Ms Lowe said she was ready to evacuate when embers began falling on her home on Wednesday.

“It’s been smoky. Very smoky and frightening especially at night.”

The Lowes’ next door neighbour Tony Verren was hosing down his roof this afternoon.

He had his camper van packed and ready to go and his boat half filled with water in an effort to stop it burning if the fires came through the town.

He said he was worried about the fires closing in from both sides of the town.