This time the men followed his orders.
‘We’re lucky this is one of the newer trucks.’ Justin tried to keep his voice light. ‘We have the cabin protection spray system and a full tank. This fire is not gonna get the better of us. Not today.’
The heat was overwhelming. Sweat poured down Justin’s face as he fought to keep the appliance on the road. The thick, choking smoke and the glare of the fire had cut visibility to a few metres. The burning embers, driven by the wind, were raining down on their vehicle, adding to the roar of the fire and wind. The trees were thicker here. On either side of them, tall trees were burning, creating a canyon of fire down which they were driving. The swirling wind created by the blaze pushed at the truck, threatening to force it off the road.
They were driving through hell, and they all knew it.
‘Get on the radio and let them know our position and what the fire is doing,’ he instructed Dave, who was sitting next to him. ‘With this wind, it should blow past us and up the ridge.’
As the man reached for the radio, Justin heard a horrible noise. He knew instantly what it was, even before he saw the burning tree toppling towards them.
CHAPTER
35
Anna was about to head into Wagtail Ridge. From the car park outside her clinic, she could see smoke passing in front of the early morning sun, but there were no flames visible, not even a distant red glow on the hills. Her place was safe, at least for now. She had no patients and she’d phoned her assistant last night to tell her not to come in this morning. Shea lived about thirty minutes’ drive away, outside the danger zone. She would be fine. Anna had been listening to every news broadcast, watching every news feed, and worrying. Worrying about the town she loved. The friends who were fighting the fire. And most of all, worrying about Justin. If she went back to town, she might hear some news. Or at the very least, have something to do, like making sandwiches and coffee for the exhausted firefighters. Waiting and doing nothing was intolerable.
She was putting up a notice on the surgery door with her phone number when a car pulled up near the wildlife clinic.
‘Carol.’ Anna hurried over. ‘Any news?’
‘Ben sent a wombat for treatment.’
‘And Justin?’
Carol shook her head. ‘Nothing.’
Anna closed her eyes and sent a plea to whatever gods watched over good men when they try to help others. Then she took a deep breath and did her job.
The wombat was badly injured, but Anna thought it would survive. She treated its injuries and settled it into a soft, safe cage in her clinic.
‘I’m heading back to the hall,’ Carol said as soon as the animal was cared for. ‘The firefighters are all going there for a rest and something to eat. If there’s any news, that’s where we’ll hear it.’
Anna nodded. She wanted to go too, but … ‘I should stay here and keep an eye on this chap. There will probably be more.’
Carol took her hand and squeezed it. Anna wasn’t certain who was getting the most comfort out of the gesture.
‘I’ll call you if I hear anything,’ Carol said. ‘I promise.’
Anna nodded. ‘Thanks. I’ll be keeping an eye on the alerts and the news. But …’
Carol nodded. She got into her car and drove away, her headlights emphasising the thin veil of smoke in the air.
Anna went into the house and collected her tablet and phone, a book and a cup of tea, then returned to the wildlife clinic. The wombat hadn’t stirred. Anna pulled a chair up where she could see him and settled in to wait, her attention divided between the injured animal and the news on her phone and tablet.
She didn’t wait long. About ten minutes later, a familiar car appeared in the car park. Anna went to greet Shea as she reached into the back of her car for a bundle wrapped in a blanket.
‘I thought I told you not to come in,’ Anna said.
‘Someone phoned me about this guy, so I had to.’ Shea pulled back the blanket to reveal a small kangaroo joey.
‘Bring him in.’
They placed the joey on the treatment table and Anna went to work. The fire had burned through the animal’s coat in places and seared the skin. Anna gave him a shot to ease his pain, and she and Shea set to work.
‘The radio in my car just had a prepare-to-evacuate alert for places west of Scone,’ Shea said as they worked.
‘There are a couple of creeks in between us and them. And roads.’
