Nelson bush fire: Saved homes an 'incredible miracle' say evacuated residents

Thursday, 7 February 2019

Residents watching smoke and flames creep towards their Redwood Valley homes say it's an 'incredible miracle' there hasn't been more devastation during the Nelson bush fire.

The 1900 hectare inferno raged through Nelson's Pigeon Valley on Tuesday and has continued to burn into its third day.

Flames and a deep orange glow in Pigeon Valley headed in the direction of Cameron Strange's home on Tuesday afternoon.

The Redwood Valley resident and forestry worker said smoke clogged the air over Nelson/Tasman bays as he drove back over the Takaka Hill. It had been just a few hours since the fire started.

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'I didn't think it was that serious until I got to the top of the Takaka Hill.'

Nelson bush fire, looking toward Pigeon Valley from Golden Hill Rd between 8:30-9:30pm on day two.

Strange's priority was to ensure his pregnant wife, eight dogs, a rabbit and one cat were ready to leave as quickly as possible.

When he arrived home, he said, ash was falling over the house, into the garden and filling the dogs' bowls. He was concerned cinders could spark new fires.

A policeman called in at 7.30pm to ready the home for evacuation. By 8pm smoke began to flow down the surrounding hills. It was safer to leave, Strange said.

'When the wind changed direction, it was coming straight towards us. I thought, 'stuff this'. I didn't want to wake up in the middle of the night having to get out of here.

The 1900 hectare inferno raged through Nelson's Pigeon Valley on Tuesday and has continued to burn into its third day. Dry conditions and strong winds fuelled the bush fire to stretch across 22 kilometres which have affected 182 homes and about 400 residents.

'It was a bit of a panic but, we knew, we had time on our side.'

Strange grabbed some clothes and sentimental items that couldn't be replaced – wedding and family photos. They stayed with friends.

Access to the house was blocked off until Wednesday afternoon but Strange said once they returned he had to be prepared to leave if the wind changed.

Everything was black, he said.

He knew the hills, which ridges ran toward people's homes and just how close many came to being destroyed. He said the forest undergrowth was extremely dry and with the trees growing up to touch each other, the fire 'just jumps from one to the other'.

'It sinks in when you see it like that, especially when you know the people [who live in homes close to the fire].

'There's one house up there you can see, it's black right around it.'

Golden Hills Rd resident Duncan Thomson said he watched fire swallow up the hills in front of him. When a gust of wind pushed the fire toward forest and homes in Redwood Valley on Tuesday night it 'was such a sad moment. I thought they [the firefighters] could hold it.'

'It's an incredible miracle the houses in the valley survived. That's the only way to describe it, is a miracle.'

Watching the hills on fire, it was 'an image out of Lord of the Rings', he said.