Lexington native Suzanne Riley Whyte lived in the fire destroyed communities in New South Wales, Australia, 10 years ago for about 10 years.

For years our Australian friends experienced the highest temperatures and lowest rainfall on record.

Then wild fires roared out of control all over Australia.

A Cobargo farming friend wrote, “It was pretty much indescribable, but Armageddon would come close.”

She and her family lost 4 farms and just barely saved their home.

Living in an environment without water, you feel it in every pore, especially when you are from Lexington where humidity feels as natural as sweet tea.

If you’ve lived through a drought, you know nothing matters but water.

Here is what my longtime friends in Cobargo/Bermagui, New South Wales, Australia, have written.

• June Tarlington, Dec. 31; “Just want people to know Meg and Mitchell made it to Bermi [evacuation location]. Rich, James and myself have survived. Can’t get to stock to see if they are ok. We saved the dairy and have just milked the herd. All paddocks still burning, feel so lucky to have got thru the most horrific experience ever. Our eyes are burnt. It is all so hard to believe.”

• Peter Whyte, Dec. 31. 7:50 am, at the Bermagui evacuation location: “Should be sunny. Fires raging everywhere black charred gum leaves falling from the heavens. Everyone’s agenda out the window. Today is calmer. Hope to return home to see whether house still there…”

• Mayumi Murphy Jan. 2: “It looks like it’s going to be the worst weather wind from tonight to tomorrow, so I decided to evacuate to Bega’s shelter today. It looks like it’s going to be a car life. This will also be one valuable experience.

“Anyway, it’s safe to be able to act with 4 of my family and pets.”

Later that evening, “We are set up at Bega evacuation centre. Managed to get a tent. It’s cool and calm at the moment, but tomorrow could be really bad along the coast. Now we wait.”

• Marea Blair Jan. 3 said, “We have a house! We are in Bega safe.”

• Ben Marden 3am Jan. 5, “Night watch, sitting in my car at top of hill near house. Right now cool, calm and not much smoke. Round 2 yesterday was forecast as catastrophic, was very hot 45 C [113 F] but 100 kph [62 mph] winds didn’t happen – awesome!

“Last 2 days has been intense with even more preparations, with help of my brother, girl friend & Mum plus a friend, his mate all coming from Sydney loaded with fuel, hoses, masks, goggles and food. As well had Dean my neighbor-WHO LOST EVERYTHING, here working like a Trojan, incredible for days!

“For us, but not for so many others, we had no actual fires or hot ember attack, just flare ups of patches still burning from New Years Eve. Logically they can’t do much but the sight of fire just now ... Was a tense day of heat & shifting wind, then huge scary wind squall & cooled down. Then near darkness at 5 pm. It was kind of more nerve wracking than the main event as if something was lost today would be because of something stupid by me!”

• Remi Murphy, Jan. 5: “Forever grateful to the Seventh Day Adventist Church and their amazing volunteers who gave us shelter for the last few days. Not only did they provide us with shelter, food, electricity, water and emotional support, they welcomed our pets. They even let me use one of their back rooms so that my cats could have a safe space to roam, which was an incredible relief considering they were stuck in their cages for the better part of Friday and Saturday.

“I am in awe of how generous and kind people have been during these difficult days, and I cannot thank them enough.”

Cobargo’s main street was completely taken out with bush fires Monday night our time, Tuesday morning their time. Many have lost everything with 3 deaths.

If you would like to help this community of about 800 people, contact me at info@MatrxCoaching.com . I’ll give you their information.

Thank you for your prayers for the people of Australia as they continue to recover from this experience of loss and pain.