On November 8 2019 a record 17 fires were burning at emergency level in New South Wales. It was still Spring. Three days later a state of emergency was declared.
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Black Summer made headlines around the world, highlighting concerns about climate change, and prompting an independent inquiry in New South Wales.
The communities of Wytaliba and Torrington are nature retreats in the New England region with populations less than 100.
Wytaliba is a multioccupancy commune, home to hippies and alternative thinkers. Torrington was once a mining settlement and is now surrounded by conservation area.
On November 8, homes in Torrington over a century old burned, and in Wytaliba two people died.
Homes among the gum trees had become fodder for fire.
Coming back and everything was dead. It looked like something on Mars. I didn't recognise it at all. It was similar to what you'd expect an atom bomb to make.
- Danielle Monk, Wytaliba resident
A year on, Wytaliba faces unique problems as regulation tightens around the former nudist colony. Meanwhile, Torrington residents try to feel safe again in the wilderness they love.
We speak to people from these communities about that devastating day and how their communities and lives have changed since.
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Laura Carolina Corrigan
Canberra Times producer with a background in news and podcasts.
Canberra Times producer with a background in news and podcasts.
