Updated
Residents returning to their homes in Mount Larcom in
central Queensland have described intense winds — "like tornado winds" —
fanning the bushfire, while another local estimated flames being up to
20 metres high.
Mount Larcom was evacuated yesterday before fires swept through last night.Today in the town the ground is scorched and everything is covered in black ash, but so far there are no reports of any homes being lost.
Nathan Corbett, a volunteer firefighter who was part of the firefighting effort throughout the night, checked on his uncle's home this morning to find the fire had burnt all around it, but left the house intact.
"The house fared alright, luckily," Mr Corbett said.
"It's a bit scary, there's not much you can do about it. You're sort of powerless to stop it, just watch it burn past.
"We're watching flames come over the hill 20 metres high. There's not a lot we can do. The wind was just racing, forcing it through."
Mr Corbett said his family had lived in Mount Larcom since the 1930s.
"Relatives I've been speaking to here this morning haven't seen anything like this, even close to it, since the 50s," he said.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Service Inspector Noel King said crews worked through the night to save homes.
"It is a virtual firestorm that went through here," he said.
"The wind changed and fire was going along every 10 minutes about a kilometre of fire front.
"It's the worst I've ever seen in 28 years of fire service."
Sheds, cars, and machinery are now gutted wrecks, with some still smouldering.
But about 100 houses were saved and not a single home was lost.
Local resident Karl Fisher said he was relieved to return to find his house still standing.
"There's been a few cars destroyed, a couple of quad bikes, a lawn mower, and I don't know how many chickens," he said.
"There's still one chicken running around that we can find.
"But it's been a pretty bad impact on the house itself."
'Firies have saved Mount Larcom'
Cafe owner Julie Beel stayed in town to support the firefighters with food and drink.
She was relieved her business had not been damaged.
Ms Beel said she had never seen a fire like it.
"I don't even know how to explain the wind. They were like tornado winds, they were just swirling," she said.
"And the smoke — you could not see two feet in front of you.
"For the fires to start like this and roar through our town, as well as Baffle Creek, it's unbelievable."
Ms Beel said "the firies have saved Mt Larcom", adding that she was now looking forward to having a beer.
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