WOMAN: Multiple fires have taken hold over the past months,
spreading into New South Wales where they continue to...
MAN: I've never seen this many concurrently
at emergency warning alert levels...
MAN: It's just massive, man.
WOMAN: If you want someone to blame,
blame the greenies for stopping hazard burns.
MAN: And there's good evidence that there is a climate change influence.
MAN: The matter is, most of the fires are deliberately lit.
MAN: Definitely the drought has partly caused this.
WOMAN: It's just awful.
I want to wake up and find that it's a dream.
(COW LOWS)
(LOWS) You're my good girl, Sunny.
My good girl.
(COW'S BODY THUDS)
(COCKS RIFLE) (COW LOWS)
(COW'S BODY THUDS)
(RIFLE SHOT) (COW BLEATS)
Shhhh.
(COWS LOWING)
All done.
(COWS LOWING)
It's gonna be bad, isn't it?
(STOPS ENGINE)
Jesus.
Well...
We're still alive.
It's just stuff.
It's not just stuff, Duncan.
Shall we check Lachie's place?
(STARTS ENGINE)
Wow.
The fire's completely missed the place.
Can. You. Believe it?
I mean, it stinks in there and I'm going to have to wash every sheet
and blanket, but...
I'm sorry.
I just...I just drove up and I was so ready to see it all gone,
like the big house and...
I'm sorry. I'm such an idiot.
Don't be silly.
Did you hear from Lachie?
I tried him from town this morning.
Left a message.
No bars here today.
I'll try him from the hill.
Coast Road's still blocked, so he's not going to be able
to get through.
Well, at least you have somewhere to stay.
Nah, we'll...we'll stay at the pub till we sort something out.
No way. You...you...
You'll stay here.
That's great. Thanks, Brooke.
I mean, there's still cows alive, right?
There are. Yeah. Yeah, some.
I had to get out of here pretty fast yesterday.
You don't have to do that. I can do it.
That lounge can fit two people?
Yep.
Lachie and I go toe-to-toe sometimes when we're watching TV.
But we can sleep on that.
You guys take the bed.
I can't take your bed, Brooke.
Yes, you can.
I'll change the sheets.
If you'd had the new pump, would it have...
Wouldn't have saved our place.
Nothing was going to stop that fire.
When we bought this place for Lachlan, it meant other costs
had to wait.
I know that.
Put the sheets down.
Drink your tea.
Hey, it's Lachie.
You know the drill.
After the beep. (BEEP!)
Hi, matey.
Um, we're all safe here.
Just give us a bell when you can get through.
Come on, Arch, let's go.
This needs to be done.
I mean, we've got guests in 15 minutes. Come on.
OK, guys, come on. Please help Dad. How're we doing?
Yeah, we're getting there.
Guys.
So, Kath and Duncan have had a bit of a shock,
so they might not be themselves tonight, OK?
Yep. It's alright, though.
It'll be good for them to just hang out with us and eat some yummy food.
I know a joke that could be useful.
Yeah? That's great, darl.
OK.
Fi. Vince.
How are ya? Oh, mate.
Yeah. Alright?
Yeah, we'll be right. We'll be right.
Oh, I'm so sorry.
Hey, kids, how are ya? Jesus Christ.
Yeah. Good.
Yep.
Thought you could do with a soak.
Towels. Lotions.
Do you need any clothes?
We're about the same size.
Not sure about our boobs,
but I can throw in some bras if you need.
Bugger bras.
No, I'm...I'm OK, Fi.
We managed to pack a bag.
Hop in. While it's hot.
Smile, Hen.
Hey, Archie. Here you go.
WOMAN: (ON TV) And local volunteers have been joined by firefighters...
Here's the water.
..from Queensland who have come to help battle
these unprecedented blazes.
What makes someone leave their home to come fight someone else's fire?
Ah, we'll go wherever we're needed and it's looking like it's gonna be
a pretty long and intense fire season, so...
Yeah, we just wanna get involved. Not...
Unless you wanna...
No.
What can we do to help, mate?
Dunno. You got a bulldozer?
I got some stock to bury.
Mel next door's got a backhoe.
Oh, I'll...I'll sort it. Thank you.
Duncan?
Yes, my love?
What did the lion say after he ate a comedian?
I don't know, what did the lion say?
"I feel a bit funny."
Lachie, sick of leaving messages.
Plug your stupid phone in and come home.
You can't leave me alone this long with your Mum.
She'll eat me alive.
Oh, hey, the laptop's in the bedroom.
Oh, thanks.
Dunc, let's talk to Connor.
Should I come home?
I can book a flight today.
We'd love that... There's nothing you can do here.
Are you insured and everything?
Yeah, yeah, that'll all sort itself out.
Yeah.
We'll be right.
You know, we needed a new kitchen anyway.
You're going to rebuild?
Yeah, course.
Soon as we can.
This isn't going to be the last fire that hits you guys.
The planet's warming up.
This stuff isn't going away.
I'm so sorry, Dad.
I know how hard driving away must have been.
It was, um...
It was awful.
Lachie and Brooke OK?
Yeah, yeah, they're...they're fine.
All good, all good.
I'm sorry, sweetheart. We're...
We're not much company.
We've hardly slept in two days.
We were in the evacuation centre last night.
I should go. It's a work day here.
Righto, mate. OK.
See ya.
He just wants to help.
Yeah, I know.
God, now we have to sleep in Brooke and Lachie's bed.
Oh, God.
Gotta be better than the floor at the school hall.
I'm trying, Dunc.
I'm trying, but it's gonna take a bit.
(DOOR CLOSES)
Brookie?
Has, ah, Lachie got any pyjamas I can borrow?
He doesn't wear them.
Just his shorts sometimes.
But you can use anything out of the drawers.
The bottom ones are his.
Right, cheers.
Night.
Kath.
Why hasn't Lachie called?
I tried him like 10 times up at Vince's.
The road's blocked. He can't get through.
The fire wasn't even supposed to come this way.
Well, it did.
Night.
Get out of my face, Charlotte!
(COWS LOWING)
The road'll be open today.
Arch!
Thought it was you.
What are you doing?
Just, ah, walkin'.
Well...
Can you take this milk up to your Mum?
Thanks.
Take it straight up to the fridge.
Yep.
Did you know Arch smoked?
I saw him down in the bush.
Well, he's a 14-year-old boy.
Probably just a phase, you know.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Hey, Dunc.
Rob. G'day. How are ya?
Hi, Luce.
Duncan. How're you going?
Fuck, I'm so sorry about the house.
No, no, you don't... It's...
There's plenty of us, Luce.
McCarthys, Smithys and Geraldtons all lost their places.
Smithy? Oh, God.
(SQUEALS)
How's Kath?
She's alright. She's alright.
Charlotte said the road's open.
Great.
Lachie was getting a new pump when he got stuck in Port Oliver.
You've spoken to him?
I left messages.
There's a list on the board over there.
Put his name down, and let us know when he gets home?
We'll be staying at Lachie's. It's alright.
No, it's... It's fine.
Bec Peters said we could stay at her stupid holiday rental.
Remind me why it's stupid?
Just is.
The road's open.
We should get back, then. Yeah.
Here they are!
This is Nick. He's a journalist from TV.
G'day. Duncan, Kath.
Great to meet you both.
Uh, I'm sorry, about your farm.
Langilla, isn't it? Yes, it is, yeah.
I'm covering the fires here.
Perhaps I could come out and take a look at your place
in the next day or so?
I'd love to do a story on you. Look...
Not right now, thank you.
I...I...understand you've got a job to do, so we'll leave you to it.
Something I said?
I'll talk to them.
They're...you know...
Devastated. Yeah.
Yeah, that's it.
I'm staying at the pub for a few days.
You and your fella should pop in for a drink if you're free.
Your story's important, you know.
He's not here.
Brooke.
What you do...
..when you're away from this place is your business,
but I...I don't want journalists coming here.
Alright? And I...and I don't want you talking about us or Langilla.
Alright.
I...I'm gonna make a chocolate cake.
I'm going to Mel's
and sort out the backhoe for the carcasses.
Really? Now?
Yeah. Well, we've gotta move them soon.
Come on.
He'll be here by tonight.
Yep.
(ENGINE STARTS)
(TUTS) Oh...
(SIGHS)
(CORRUGATED IRON CLANKS)
I loved your room.
It was so nice.
(TUTS)
That dresser...
..was Duncan's grandmother's.
Made from wood cut right here on the property.
(TEARFULLY) It was gonna be Lachie's.
(SNIFFLES) And yours.
(HELICOPTER APPROACHES)
(HELICOPTER PASSES, RECEDES)
Kitchen.
Come on.
Oh, my God!
For the chocolate cake.
Whoo!
(LAUGHS)
If Donleavy's was shut...
..you would've gone up through Ricketts Way...
..until you got to the bends.
Which way did you go at the bends?
Which way did you go at the bends, matey?
Oh, mate.
Oh, my boy.
Oh...
(PAN CLATTERS)
(BROOKE SIGHS)
(HUMS) (BUTTON BEEPS)
(SIGHS)
My blue bowl.
Connor and Lachie used to build these huge towns.
Roads, everything.
Buildings made out of old cereal boxes.
My bowl was always the town swimming pool.
He did tell me about that.
(VEHICLE APPROACHES)
(ENGINE STOPS)
I...
..wish we had some ice-cream.
It goes really, really well with that cake.
Fi might have some.
I'm not sure they eat ice-cream up there.
She's anti-sugar. Brooke.
(CAR DOOR OPENS)
What...?
What's happened?
Oh...
What the fuck?
(GASPS)
What the fuck?!
What...?
(SNIFFLES)
Time to get up.
Connor's on a plane tonight.
What's all this? Fi dropped them off.
Casseroles till Christmas.
What time's he get in?
Tomorrow night. Late.
Did you get onto your mum?
Yes.
I got onto my stupid, useless mum.
She wants to come to the funeral.
I told her not to. (CHUCKLES)
I mean, she didn't even know Lachie.
(SOBS)
Right.
(WHIMPERS)
(SOBS SOFTLY)
I don't know what I'm supposed to do.
I have no idea.
I have no fucking clue.
W...?
I'm gonna stay at Charlotte's for a few days.
She's got a spare room.
Be careful.
What?
Just take it easy. You're very emotional.
(SIGHS)
What is she gonna do now, do you reckon?
I suppose she'll go back to Brisbane eventually.
(ENGINE STARTS) She's more city than here, anyways.
I don't know. (GRAVEL CRUNCHES)
You used to be city to start with, you remember?
Now you're more country than the rest of us.
Now, what can I get you? Just a G&T, thanks, Mags.
MAN: No, I don't know. But it was definitely deliberately lit.
Hey, Brooke.
Thanks for doing the interview.
Uh...
I wonder, um...
I've been hearing a few things.
People saying this fire wasn't part of the bigger fire,
that it started here in the valley.
So?
Well, some think it was deliberately lit.
Arson.
Everything's so dry here, it would only take a match
for the whole valley to go up.
Well, that fuckin' makes sense.
This town's full of weirdos.
They saying anyone?
No, not to me.
Here, love. Here, I'll get this.
Cheers. OK.
When will our story be on the news?
Soon. And thanks again, Brooke. Really appreciate it.
BOY: No way, it's my last ciggie.
BOY 2: Share it, then.
Come on!
Give us a drag!
Dunc.
I'll do the girls. You sleep, go on.
(COWS BELLOW, MACHINERY WHIRRS)
Thanks for coming over.
What is it?
Some stuff got posted about Arch.
What stuff?
Brooke posted this photo of him.
Implied pretty strongly that, uh, he started the fire.
Then the comments piled in accusing him
and, um...it's been posted on the community page.
Didn't know people could be so cruel.
Disgusting.
Could you speak to Brooke? Get her to delete the post?
I mean, it started with her.
And what do you think? About what?
Do you think Arch started the fire?
What? No, of course not.
No.
You're so sure?
He smokes, and...and he's always been sort of careless...
Kath! For fuck's sake.
Think about what you're saying.
I'm not saying that it was deliberate,
but what if he did start that fire?
He's...14, Kath.
Give me a bit of credit, Duncan.
I wouldn't just point the finger at anyone.
No, but...
We're not in our right minds at the moment.
And you've gotta be careful what you say to Fi and Vince.
I'll say exactly what I want when I want.
They're...they're good neighbours. They deserve better than gossip.
I may be a lot of things but I am not a gossip.
Right. What do you want for dinner?
Your choice of sympathy casseroles.
Maureen's chicken and mushroom...
I'm going to get a steak.
My lovely boy.
Fuck!
Fuck.
(WOMEN LAUGH)
MAN: Yeah, just one more, mate. Cheers.
(INAUDIBLE)
MAN: (ON TV) In just seconds, a mighty explosion.
Thanks, love.
These bushfires actually... We are hopeful...
(SWITCHES CHANNEL)
MAN: And in sad news for this close-knit community,
local farmer Lachlan Simpson,
missing since the fire swept through this area,
was found deceased in his car.
We spoke with his fiancee, Brooke Norisham.
He would have tried to get through here on the back road,
because the main road was shut.
Did he know where you were?
Well, I spoke to him on the phone when the fire was heading our way.
But I was really frightened.
I didn't know what to do. It all happened so fast.
(STAMMERS) It just came out of nowhere.
You've lost your fiance, the man you were going to marry,
how do you pick up the pieces and start to look towards the future?
I don't know what I'm supposed to do.
(SOBS ON TELEVISION)
A son is gone, and with him, the legacy
of generations of a farming family.
(BREATHES RAGGEDLY)
(SOBS)
(MACHINERY WHIRRS)
Oh! Are you OK?
Stupid boy!
What have you done?! What did you do?!
Were you out there smoking on Saturday?
No. Don't lie to me.
I'm not!
Were you out there smoking on Saturday?
Kath!
It's alright, mate. You right? You right, Arch?
Yeah? I didn't do anything.
No, we know you didn't. I...we...
And Kath knows you didn't too.
It's alright.
What did you come down here for?
Connor rang.
He's at Dubai Airport for three hours if you wanna talk to him.
Alright. Well, you go back up and... and we'll come up in a minute.
Well...
Connor. Come on.
(DOOR OPENS)
I'm sorry, Fi. It...it just popped out of nowhere.
Laptop's in the bedroom.
Jesus Christ.
10 more hours.
It'll be good to have you home, Con.
My big brother...
..he was Superman.
He wasn't supposed to die.
Why did he take a risk on that road?
What was he fuckin' thinking?
I know, darling, I know.
Dad, come back.
Yeah?
Yeah, I'm here, mate.
I'll stay as long as you guys need me.
I'm just picking up some stuff.
DUNCAN: Right.
We saw you on the news.
Did they pay you for it?
No.
I can't believe that they'd...
..think about...
..taking you out to the car.
That was my idea.
You didn't want them here.
Anyway, that's my business. Has nothing to do with you guys.
Why didn't you tell us you spoke to Lachie that afternoon?
What?
Well, we all thought Duncan was the last one to speak to him
in the morning.
But on the news, you said that you spoke to him from here
in the afternoon.
What does it matter?
I don't know why you wouldn't tell us.
I've been thinking, why would he come back here?
Why would he take that shitty road when the fire is bloody everywhere?
Connor thought the same thing. Did you speak to him, Brooke?
We just wanna know.
Y-yes.
Right.
And...and where was he?
In the car. Driving.
So he-he would have hit the road block and then...
..gone in through the fire trails?
I-I guess.
What'd you say to him?
The smoke, it was so th...
..thick.
I was alone here.
Lachlan told me he was coming back to get us. He...
He said you guys needed him.
You needed the pump because YOU wanted to stay and fight.
Did you ask him to come and get you? I-I wanted him here. I...
I-I told him to come, I did.
Did you tell him that we were being evacuated?
That we couldn't stay?
He would have done anything to come back and get me.
You have no idea.
Oh, we know, Brooke. We know Lachlan.
But you don't know me!
You don't know anything about me!
I've lived here for two years! This isn't getting us anywhere.
We were gonna get married and you still treat me
like I'm some kind of one-night stand or something!
You had him wrapped around your little finger!
That's enough. You have no idea!
We had to manage you.
Tiptoe around you and your moods,
judging everything we said and did.
It would drive him nuts. Oh.
We talked about leaving here all the time,
just to get away from YOU! Oh, Jesus Christ!
Between the two of you,
you're gonna tear this place apart. Both of us?!
You're just looking for somebody to blame. There's nobody to blame!
No! Alright.
You going after Archie? I mean, he's a kid.
And you having a go, just having a go.
Where's your compassion?
I don't have any room for it!
I don't have space for it!
I...can't stand it.
My heart is fucking breaking!
(CRIES)
This Sunday,
you guys were going to come here for dinner.
Lachie was gonna buy some champagne.
We were gonna give you this.
You're pregnant?
Yes.
10 weeks.
Actually, 11 now.
They were Lachie's idea.
He thought it'd be funny,
thinking about the two of you wearing them.
I said you never would, not in a million years.
Here, mate.
Yum. Thanks, Dad. Hold up.
What? Your shirt.
Not that anybody'd notice any difference.
Well, come on then.
(CHUCKLES)
Breakfast's up!
BROOKE: Nothing for me, thanks.
Is she alright?
She's OK.
I'm so glad you're here, matey.
(FOOTSTEPS APPROACH)
KATH: I'm sorry, this is your room.
You look nice.
How're you feeling?
Like I just want today to be over.
Same.
Brooke...
..I owe you an apology.
I never took you and Lachie seriously.
I don't know why.
Even when you moved in,
even when you started talking about getting married.
I suppose I thought that
we'd have all these years
ahead of us together and...
..time would sort us out.
Me too.
Lachie adored you.
He loved the farm. He loved this place.
He would never have left.
Let's get through this.
(REFLECTIVE MUSIC)
G'day, mate. How are ya?
Thanks for coming.
We'll head down.
Yeah, yeah, good-oh.
GARY: Prediction for tomorrow is an uncomfortable 40 degrees.
LALLY: If you leave now, you'll get there and back by morning.
Conditions are unpredictable, to say the least.
There's a leave-now order in place for all Woolley's Bay.
You need to evacuate immediately.
I don't know what else to do. You'd be really helping me out.
We're staying to defend. My partner's on his way back from Canberra.
You say you know what to do but you have no idea what it's like.
If you get into trouble, we won't be able to get to you.
Probably taken the back road. There's a back road?!
Maybe I should leave.
ADRIAN: Lally, I'm gonna come back and we're gonna defend.
BEC: Do you smell smoke?
Woolley's Bay, it is no longer safe to leave.
You're not just car sick, are you?
What's the way now? Um...
Do you know?
Captions by Red Bee Media
Copyright Australian Broadcasting Corporation