Australian Fire Victims Start Rebuilding Process

Fire-damaged Kinglake’s residents begin the process of rebuilding their community

FIRE DAMAGE: Kinglake resident Sue Perry contemplates the destruction of her friend’s and neighbour’s property in the heart of the rural township. The residents of the fire-ravaged township of Kinglake are just beginning to recover from the terrible f Jarrod Hall/The Epoch Times

KINGLAKE, Australia—The town has only just been reopened to the public after weeks of police lockdown. The painful search for the remains of residents who did not escape the inferno has finally been closed. However, although the fires are out and the police tape is gone, the emotional damage is still very real.

The inferno, dubbed “Black Saturday” by the media, resulted in Australia’s highest ever loss of life from a bushfire—210 were killed. Kinglake was one of the towns worst hit by the fires with at least 38 people dead and over 500 homes destroyed.

The area has been closed to the public since February 7, allowing police to search for and locate human remains. On Tuesday, March 17, the roadblocks finally came down.

Not everybody was happy, with some residents reportedly yelling angrily at a film crew recording the event.

For Kinglake resident Sue Perry, the reopening of the town comes as a welcome relief.

“I’d love to be protected a bit longer, like a lot of people, but its definitely time...it means people from outside Kinglake who have offered help can actually come and help now.”

Ms. Perry told of the community’s emotional and practical recovery being put on hold because of the roadblocks and forensic investigations. Property owners have been unable to search the ruins for precious belongings.