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It is hard to believe this December marks 10 years since the devastating bushfires which destroyed 116 houses in the coastal towns of Wye River and Separation Creek.
Walking through the town now you would not suspect such damage had occurred. A strong bond between the community and the brigade remains, and the memory is not lost to most.
The destructive fire was ignited on 19 December 2015 by a lightning strike at Jamieson Creek, 6km away from the township, before escalating significantly on Christmas Day, and ultimately burning more than 2,500 hectares of steep terrain.
Although it wiped out a substantial part of the town, including four brigade members homes, Wye River Fire Brigade Captain at the time Roy Moriarty said they still marvel at the orderly evacuation and no loss of life.
The evacuation process has been highly praised and was a result of the proactive community engagement and preparedness activities the brigade held in the lead-up.
Current Captain Andrew Hack said there had not been a major fire since 1962 and every year they thought it was only a matter of time before it was their turn.
"Ironically just six weeks before that fire we went through a Phoenix computer modelling of what it would look like if one came through and took out the township," Andrew said.
"Although the yearly events often attract the same crowd, everyone who came to the scenario changed their fire plan based on what they saw – and that was to leave early.
On 23 December 2015, although there was a fire at their doorstep, there was no current threat and the advice to residents and travellers was to stay informed. Most residents continued to take part in carols at the Wye River pub on Christmas Eve.
"I came back to the station at midnight on Christmas Eve and I thought there was no way the fire was getting out, but I was shocked the next day when it jumped the lines," Roy said.
"There had been a lot of communication from CFA, and we were forewarned that Christmas Day could be a significant day," Andrew said.
"You didn't really want to dampen the vibe at the pub, but there was a sense that it could all turn upside down the following day – and ultimately it did. But there was quick action by all."
Roy set the town evacuation siren off at 11.30am on Christmas Day and traffic was guided out. With one road in, and one road out, access is difficult on a normal summer day, not to mention during an emergency. For this reason, the brigade planned to tackle the challenge on their own.
Forest Fire Management Victoria crews helped hold the fire on the upper roads and protect the caravan parks, while Wye River brigade members focused on the town's greatest assets to ensure facilities with water and power were available for recovery after the fire eased.
Roy recalled the firefighters remaining calm across the day. There was no panic, everyone just did their job. Eighteen aircraft were used on this fire and fire breaks were strengthened into January. The fire was not fully contained until 16 January 2016.
"We felt so fortunate that there wasn't any loss of life. However, it's physically devasting to see the loss of the infrastructure, people's homes and all the memories," Andrew said.
"Soon after the event, when it was safe, we organised buses to bring property owners back through the hills to see what was going on. We hoped it would help the process of healing."
Like many within the town, Roy said he has become more emotional since the fires took place and believes the anniversary will bring a mix of emotions for people.
Wye River Fire Brigade will hold events on Friday 19 December and Saturday 20 December at the fire station to mark the anniversary with community members and their families.
