Stories From: Bushfire

Fighting bushfires in rugged, mountainous terrain inaccessible by fire tankers requires considerable skill and endurance. Winmalee’s Bruce Coomer has spent 20 years battling fires deep in the bush as a volunteer remote area firefighter. He shares his experiences with writer Julie Nance.

Julie Paterson and Manda Kaye’s home in Blackheath was designed with bushfire in mind and they are now preparing for the bushfire season. They’ve also moved to renewables and Julie is working on collaborative community art projects that embody the philosophy of re-using and re-making.

The 2013 fires damaged much of Andy Stevenson's property on the Darling Causeway in Mount Victoria. Andy was determined to survive the next fire, while also creating a beautiful haven for family, guests and wildlife. Read his story here.

Winmalee Neighbourhood Centre General Manager Morna Colbran talks about the value of volunteering for the health of people and the planet. She also shares how Winmalee Neighbourhood Centre is providing support after disasters and is responding to food scarcity, homelessness, challenges specific to women and financial literacy.

Aerial firefighting is proving to be a game changer in tackling bushfires. Since the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires, the NSW Rural Fire Service’s fleet of helicopters and fixed-wing planes has grown from 4 to 11. Warrimoo local Rod Walker is an Air Attack Supervisor who flies through smoke-filled skies to help keep our communities safe.

Hamish Dunlop talks with Joe and Merylese Mercieca about the journey from a ‘fibromajestic’ home to their newly completed Passivhaus, and how sustainable design and building methods can support human health and the health of the planet.

The garden is the first line of defence in a bushfire, but that doesn’t mean sacrificing liveable spaces for the rest of the year. Landscape architect Sue Bell explains how we can balance good garden design with sound bushfire principles.

They are furry, silent, super cute and have been likened to a gliding koala. However recent bushfires, heatwaves and extreme drought have led to Greater Gliders being listed as Endangered. What does the future hold for Blue Mountains Greater Gliders?

A home among the gum trees is a dream for many of us. But turning that dream into a reality in one of the most bushfire-prone regions in the country can be tricky. Architect Nigel Bell helps us navigate the fundamentals of building or renovating for bushfire resilience.

Six Blue Mountains artists take strikingly different approaches to expressing ecological emotions associated with fire, flood and pandemic.