Advertisement

Home still stands as bush smoulders

FIRST ON 7: The Coonabarabran blaze, which destroyed 40 homes is now being pushed south by strong winds.

Timor Road, outside of Coonabarabran was at the epicentre of the fire storm and it's where most of the homes were lost.

Everywhere you look there are piles of rubble where properties once stood, and then there's Paul Wilson's home, still standing, while the bush around him still smoulders.

“Coming from the fire, because I was out there, at no time was I concerned,” Mr Wilson said.

When you look at what’s left of the Wilson’s road, it’s incredible any structure is still there.

It's not until you drive through kilometres of blackened road that you see the sheer size of the blaze.

Perry Wilkinson stayed until the very end, shooting his escape out the window of his car as they made for safer ground.

“[It was| frightening I suppose, concerning, I suppose I had more concern for the wildlife, and other people that live in the area,” Mr Wilkinson said.

Further up the road, the Siding Spring Observatory shines untouched on the hilltop, but a blaze still burns off through the Warrumbungles mountain range.

While the focus is on the fire front, farmers are desperate for hay and fodder to feed their stock.

There’s a long road to recovery in the area before lives can be rebuilt.

GALLERY: Incredible pictures from the New South Wales bushfires. Photo: AAP
GALLERY: Incredible pictures from the New South Wales bushfires. Photo: AAP