00:00It's been a frantic festive season for Boddington resident Mitch Corby.
00:06When we got the warning, we said, right, we were having lunch at the friend's house just
00:12up the road, and we all decided to leave.
00:16Eighty residents were forced to spend Christmas night at an evacuation centre in Williams,
00:20which was later moved to Narogen as numbers grew.
00:23Tamsin Hodder is still processing the events of the last two days.
00:27The first day was very traumatic, having to leave home, and all I took was the clothes
00:32that I had, and my pets, and family photos.
00:38Fourth generation grower Ray Farmer and his wife Brenda lost two heritage cottages, as
00:42well as cropping and infrastructure.
00:44He lost two thirds or three quarters of my hay that was already baled but still in the
00:51paddock.
00:52We thought it would be safe, never dreamt a fire had come.
00:55Today came reprieve and relief, as weather conditions improved and the threat level
01:00was downgraded.
01:00There are still a few little pockets that are flaring up that we're having crews work
01:05on, but overall the town side of Boddington is safe at this point and we're allowing residents
01:10to come back in.
01:11Fire crews have been assessing the damage and are working to reopen roads and restore access
01:16to power.
01:17We're still getting a full picture from assessments from that, overall looking pretty positive.
01:22The Narogen Evacuation Centre has closed and displaced residents have returned here to
01:27Boddington, but this time with a new sense of community connection.
01:31I've been in Boddington a long time and know quite a few people, but now I've met so many
01:36more people that I probably wouldn't have met otherwise.
01:40And it's been so fantastic and such a positive experience in that way.
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