Without Warning

On Saturday 7 February 2009, Jane and her family were sweltering through one of the hottest summer days on record, listening with concern to reports of fires sweeping through Kilmore and Wandong, 50 kilometres to their east and - according to the reports - heading south. But as the clouds of smoke loomed closer, and became tinged with a colour that from experience heralded danger, they realised that the fire was in fact heading towards them. But by then it was too late to evacuate; they were trapped as the firestorm swept towards them, obliterating everything in its ferocious path.