Wytaliba and Torrington Communities Start To Rebuild Following Devastating Bushfires
WYTALIBA, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 14: Philip Hine surveys the ruins of his property on January 14, 2020 in Wytaliba, Australia. Philip narrowly escaped the inferno that tore through the area on the afternoon of November 8, 2019, after first sheltering inside his home, before driving away in his red Subaru, parts of which melted off the car. He now lives on the site in a small tent, and has to cart water by hand from the town centre every day. The firestorms that ripped through the small communities of Wytaliba and Torrington, left two dead and scores of homes destroyed. In Wytaliba the devastation was almost complete, making it ground zero for the bushfire crisis that since has gripped NSW and Victoria. Local resident Vivian Chaplain died while trying to save her home and George Nole died in his car trying to escape the inferno. For Wytaliba residents, only a few community buildings remain, while those that have returned are living in tents or temporary shelters without power or running water. The local primary school, burnt in the fire, is being rebuilt and is due to take students for the new school year in late January. Built on a former cattle ranch in the late 1970's, Wytaliba was a place for people who seek peace and solitude outside of the mainstream. This usually private community open their doors to show the immense challenges they now face in rebuilding. (Photo by Brook Mitchell/Getty Images)
