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LUKE Nugent is one great example of the fine people who live among us.
On Tuesday afternoon (October 29) after a hellish and terrifying day of fires at Lake Cathie, his home town, Luke did what any decent Aussie would do - cooked a barbecue for our fire crews.
Luke said the fire front that swept across Lake Cathie was like nothing he has ever seen before. It was fast and ferocious and took everyone by surprise.
"The firies were trying to contain the fire behind the footy fields and that wind picked up and within 15 minutes it was out of control," Luke said.
"It was big and it was scary and ripped behind the fields before jumping the road behind where the houses are.
"I ran across the road to a friend's house to let her know, she was in there with her grandparents, and told her to get out.
"We all though it was alright and in a matter of minutes it wasn't."
The unpredictability of the fire in today's windy conditions tested fire crews.
"There were older firies here who have seen a fire like this here about 20 years ago and they said it is worse than that," Luke added.
Luke, with the Lake Cathie-Bonny Hills Junior Rugby League Club, kept the barbecue going for hours at the football fields to several shifts of hungry and tired firefighters.
Long time Lake Cathie resident Frances Wilson said it was unbelievable how quickly the fire took hold.
"We had been watching the Fires Near Me app all (Monday) night and then into today but when we got the message to evacuate there was no hesitation we packed the car and left for Bonny Hills," Mrs Wilson said.
"When we got to Bonny Hills it was pretty good. We felt safe there for most of the day it was only later this afternoon that it got bad again.
"We went for a walk and looking back over Lake Cathie it looked like the fire was almost exploding into the bushes and trees it was so bad."
Mrs Wilson said she and her family count themselves lucky the fire - for the most part - went around them.
"Honestly we are just so lucky," she said.
At 7pm, Mrs Wilson and her family were allowed back to their houses on Explorers Way, Lake Cathie but less than half an hour later the "crackle of fire could be heard again," said her son Jack.
"We were told it was okay to go back," Jack said.
"It is pretty think with smoke but the fire threat has moved on a bit, but even just talking now we can see it coming back.
"I think we are going to re-fill the drink bottles and make sure we have everything and leave again to be safe."
Here's what you need to know:
8pm, October 29 - Alert level - Watch and Act:
- The fire has now burnt more than 1700 hectares of bushland and is continuing to spread. A number of spot fires have started and taken hold to the north and west of Lake Cathie village.
- At this stage, the fire is burning to the north of Houston Mitchell Drive. A separate spot fire which started on the western side of Lake Innes is also spreading towards the area of Long Point.
- Conditions are easing.
Road closures:
- Ocean Drive between Links Crescent and Houston Mitchell Drive is closed.
- Houston Mitchell Drive to the Pacific Highway is closed.
- Smoke is affecting traffic in both directions on the Pacific Highway at Blythes Road, Herons Creek. Avoid non-essential travel.
- Oxley Highway between Brackendale Road and Comboyne Road remains closed due to a fire at Mount Seaview.
Evacuation centres:
- Laurieton United Servicemen's Club has been set up as an evacuation point. Police, Family and Community Services and the Land Management Department is there (for animals, they will have cages etc).
- Hastings Secondary College (Westport) campus and Westport Public School were set up as temporary evacuation centres but closed at 7.30pm. They remain on watch if needed again.
Community support:
- North Haven Bowling Club is offering free schnitzels and beers for firies.
- Lake Cathie Tavern, Lake Cathie Bakery have been serving fire crews.
- Wauchope Show Society and Taree Saleyards have offered safe stables at the showground for livestock.
- Camden Haven Showground has room for livestock, to camp and the Salvos from the Hastings and Forster-Tuncurry regions are feeding firies.
- Your Life Fitness Centre and World Gym in Port Macquarie offered the use of showers and toilets for any firie needing a break.
