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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Australia fires: 'I lost my home. The shock will never fully set in' | Australia fires: 'I lost my home. The shock will never fully set in' |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| "There isn't really any way to describe the intensity of the fires." | "There isn't really any way to describe the intensity of the fires." |
| Gabriel Kam's family home was recently destroyed by the bushfires which are sweeping across Australia. | Gabriel Kam's family home was recently destroyed by the bushfires which are sweeping across Australia. |
| Since September at least 24 people have died and the fires have destroyed more than 1,200 homes across New South Wales and Victoria. | Since September at least 24 people have died and the fires have destroyed more than 1,200 homes across New South Wales and Victoria. |
| "You don't think you'll actually lose everything until it's already happened," the 16-year-old tells Radio 1 Newsbeat. | "You don't think you'll actually lose everything until it's already happened," the 16-year-old tells Radio 1 Newsbeat. |
| "The shock will never fully set in." | "The shock will never fully set in." |
| Gabriel's village, Balmoral, is about a two-hour drive south of Sydney. | Gabriel's village, Balmoral, is about a two-hour drive south of Sydney. |
| It was first hit by the bushfires on 19 December. Two days later they struck again - that's when his home was destroyed. | It was first hit by the bushfires on 19 December. Two days later they struck again - that's when his home was destroyed. |
| His family has followed advice of firefighters to clear small trees or any shrubbery that might catch alight but Gabriel says "there wasn't a lot we could do" to prepare for what was coming. | His family has followed advice of firefighters to clear small trees or any shrubbery that might catch alight but Gabriel says "there wasn't a lot we could do" to prepare for what was coming. |
| "You know it's coming. But at the end of the day, you're completely at the mercy of mother nature... you're helpless." | "You know it's coming. But at the end of the day, you're completely at the mercy of mother nature... you're helpless." |
| He says their house was "destroyed in an instant" and there was no time to protect anything except their two cats and the clothes on their back. | He says their house was "destroyed in an instant" and there was no time to protect anything except their two cats and the clothes on their back. |
| Gabriel and his family are now staying close by with family friends. | Gabriel and his family are now staying close by with family friends. |
| "One thing you'll hear from a lot of firefighters is that this fire felt like it was alive... It completely encapsulated our house. | "One thing you'll hear from a lot of firefighters is that this fire felt like it was alive... It completely encapsulated our house. |
| "We had double-laminated glass, which you would need to hit with a sledgehammer several times to break. The fire shattered straight away. | "We had double-laminated glass, which you would need to hit with a sledgehammer several times to break. The fire shattered straight away. |
| "When we came back to the wreckage there were pools of molten glass on the ground. | "When we came back to the wreckage there were pools of molten glass on the ground. |
| "We had furniture outside, it disintegrated so quickly that it left imprints of where the furniture was on the wall... anything inside the house is unrecognisable." | "We had furniture outside, it disintegrated so quickly that it left imprints of where the furniture was on the wall... anything inside the house is unrecognisable." |
| "We almost got hit again," explains Gabriel. | "We almost got hit again," explains Gabriel. |
| "The only way this fire is going to stop is through lots of continuous hard rain. And rain is not coming to Australia anytime soon, unfortunately." | "The only way this fire is going to stop is through lots of continuous hard rain. And rain is not coming to Australia anytime soon, unfortunately." |
| Part of the relief efforts have come from international donations including a fundraiser for fire services in New South Wales, which has raised more than A$20m (£10.6m) in just 48 hours. | Part of the relief efforts have come from international donations including a fundraiser for fire services in New South Wales, which has raised more than A$20m (£10.6m) in just 48 hours. |
| Gabriel has started fundraising for his family and local area and says getting support from all over the world is "really heart warming". | Gabriel has started fundraising for his family and local area and says getting support from all over the world is "really heart warming". |
| "People who don't necessarily need to care are still helping as much as they can because we are all human. | "People who don't necessarily need to care are still helping as much as they can because we are all human. |
| "The international community needs to understand what's happening in Australia. | "The international community needs to understand what's happening in Australia. |
| "It's not going to stop anytime soon... No-one has been untouched." | "It's not going to stop anytime soon... No-one has been untouched." |
| Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called up 3,000 reserve troops to help as more strong winds and hot weather are predicted in the areas affected. | Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called up 3,000 reserve troops to help as more strong winds and hot weather are predicted in the areas affected. |
| He was recently heckled during a visit to Cobargo in New South Wales, only a few hours away from Gabriel's house, by people who said the government hadn't done enough to help communities. | He was recently heckled during a visit to Cobargo in New South Wales, only a few hours away from Gabriel's house, by people who said the government hadn't done enough to help communities. |
| Gabriel agreed that "there's a sense of frustration", but says there's "an overwhelming sense of togetherness". | Gabriel agreed that "there's a sense of frustration", but says there's "an overwhelming sense of togetherness". |
| "A lot of this is happening when there could have been preventative measures. | "A lot of this is happening when there could have been preventative measures. |
| "There's also a bond to support those who have lost things to the fire though." | "There's also a bond to support those who have lost things to the fire though." |
| Despite 20% of the village reportedly losing their homes to the fire, Gabriel says he's hopeful the community will be able to "come back stronger than we've ever been". | Despite 20% of the village reportedly losing their homes to the fire, Gabriel says he's hopeful the community will be able to "come back stronger than we've ever been". |
| "We've had people we never met before come up to us and say, 'If you need a place to stay, you can stay at our place. If you need any clothes, we have a bunch we can give you'. | "We've had people we never met before come up to us and say, 'If you need a place to stay, you can stay at our place. If you need any clothes, we have a bunch we can give you'. |
| "We will get through this as a community and as friends together, and we will help each other rebuild." | "We will get through this as a community and as friends together, and we will help each other rebuild." |
| Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. | Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. |
| Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. | Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. |
| Have you been affected by the fires in Australia? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | |
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