Fast-moving bushfire tears through NSW as number of homes lost rises
Local people are coming forward to share their sacred experiences of the devastating bushfires sweeping across NSW, including the Central Coast.
Fast-moving fires have ravaged regional NSW and 18 homes have been confirmed destroyed during the blaze.
This follows 12 homes reported missing on Saturday.
Internet star Michael Drake shared his experience with the bushfire on social media platforms; here, using a modified picnic table, he headed for the water and away from the fires.
“We were told to evacuate our homes,” the video states.
“The fires were approaching our house.”
In the footage, the internet personality is seen on a small boat with fires burning in the background, before the storm passes and he is nearly struck by lightning.
The “boat” was created as part of a previous stunt in which the YouTube sensation claimed to have built the world’s first “floating Korean BBQ” (a picnic table modified to float and fitted with a barbecue plate).
The footage shows Mr Drake using the device to escape the fire while floating above the water.
“This is cooked,” he said, before cheering at the oncoming rain.
“It’s raining, woo!” he said. “He’s screaming. We’ve survived the storm, but it’s still raining where the fires are,” he said.
Mr. Drake was not alone in sharing his experiences.
Other locals also came forward to share their experiences.
Mark Stringfellow, a local, told 7NEWS he was warned about the devastating fires by a neighbor who lives across the water.
“I went outside and there was a bunch of smoke,” he said.
According to the local resident, he was lucky to survive because the change of direction gave him time to rescue his 90-year-old neighbor from his home and then return to fight the fires in his backyard.
“I was looking for Trip-0 but unfortunately no fire trucks could get to the access road,” he said.
“Once it spread below us, I realized there was no stopping it, so we left.”
NSW Premier Chris Minns confirmed there were more than 75 fires across the state and 20 were out of control as of Sunday morning.
More than 1,500 emergency personnel, including volunteers, professional firefighters and police, worked throughout Saturday night to bring these fires under control.
Experts fear changing wind conditions could push fires north into previously unburned areas.
