A month ago, Steve Foskett handed his neighbours the keys to their new home.
A builder and resident of the Central Coast suburb of Koolewong, Foskett built a number of homes on Nimbin Road, which was ravaged by an out-of-control bushfire late on Saturday.
Steve Foskett and his dog Cali, who “didn’t do any helping” while they defended his home.Credit: Sitthixay Ditthavong
At least 12 homes, some of which were built by Foskett, were destroyed by the fire, which had burnt through 120ha and was still active on Sunday despite a cool change that came through overnight.
While homes in the block around it were destroyed, Foskett’s latest project survived the inferno that tore through the suburb, thanks, he said, to Bushfire Attack Standard 29.
Part of the state’s strict building requirements that govern residential homes, standard 29 governs homes in areas prone to fire. It requires homes to have walls made of non-combustible materials such as concrete or bricks, ember shields on roofs, toughened glass in windows and metal mesh screens.
A car destroyed by the fire in a garage built by Steve Foskett. Credit: Sitthixay Ditthavong
“I was pretty pleased,” said Foskett, speaking to the Herald on the fireground on Sunday morning.
“I built that house four weeks ago to the new fire standards and it was the only one that survived.”
Foskett said his neighbours were “pretty happy” when he called to say their home had survived.
Homeowners Mike and Katie Greene fled with their children on Saturday afternoon before the fire reached their street.
Mike and Katie Green return on Sunday morning to their new home, which stood up to the fire.Credit: Sitthixay Ditthavong
“It’s such a lovely local community – it’s just heartbreak,” Katie said. “The bush has been super-dry, and it was so hot and so windy … and the firefighters – amazing, amazing,” she told the Herald.
As the fire raged towards his street on Saturday afternoon, Foskett stayed behind with his nephews to defend his home. It also stood.
“Hell, yeah,” he said when asked if he was glad he stayed. “My house would’ve gone, for sure – nothing has been burnt here for 90 years.”
His 90-year-old neighbour, who has lived in the area for 70 years, said Koolewong had never had a bushfire before.
The fire remained alight on Sunday morning. Credit: Sitthixay Ditthavong
The neighbour’s home was also saved by Foskett.
“We created a fire break for three houses – we scraped all the leaf litter away,” he said. “Because fire runs slowly down a hill, [the firebreak] stopped it.”
Most of his neighbours fled the fire, said Foskett. Premier Chris Minns said on Sunday that 25 adults and two children were in emergency accommodation across the Central Coast, with many others with family or friends.
“I’m the only one here – it’s like a ghost town,” Foskett said.
At 10am on Sunday, there were 76 fires burning across the state with 20 uncontained.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
