From The Embers

Four Emergency level bushfires burned over one weekend in Western Australia in February 2022. With roughly 30% of WA agricultural land, most farmers are prepared for fire at any time. But when one comes, they rely heavily on volunteer farmers and locals who form the Bush Fire Brigade. On February 6, 2022 near the small farming town of Narrogin, extreme wind and heat, coupled with a powerline spark in a dry pasture paddock, resulted in a massive fire. Only one house was lost but the impact on livestock and farmland will affect farmers years into the future.  Content warning this feature contains stories of animals in distress Guests:Angus ArmstrongMike BurgesTammy FreestoneMichael Lange Credits:Producer: Leith AlexanderExecutive producer and sound design: Sarah MashmanEngineering: Tegan NichollsTheme music: Oliver BeardAdditional music: Blue Dot SessionsManagement team: Abe Killian and Sime Knecevic This episode was made on the Wiilman and Wadjuk Countries of the Nyoongar Nation and the lands of the muwinina people from Country around nipaluna. These lands were never ceded. From the Embers Season 2: Phoenix is supported by The Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas, The Paul Ramsay Foundation, Monash University’s Fire to Flourish program and The Minderoo Foundation Fire and Flood Resilience Initiative – and broadcast across Australia via the Community Radio Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Day after day of intense rainfall fell across south east Queensland In February 2022, breaking riverbanks, swamping roads and flooding homes. The city of Brisbane experienced one of the worst floods on record. In three days alone, Brisbane received 80 per cent of its annual rainfall as people scrambled to find higher ground to shelter. As people recover and start to rebuild, questions are being raised over where to live and how to prepare for the future. Guests:Milena CifaliRichard HavernikCarolyn KarafaCouncillor Johnathon Sri Credits:Producer: Maureen MopioExecutive producer and sound design: Sarah MashmanEngineering: Tegan NichollsTheme music: Oliver BeardAdditional music: Blue Dot SessionsManagement team: Abe Killian and Sime Knecevic This episode was made on the lands of the Turrbal and Jagera peoples, and the land of the muwinina people from Country around nipaluna. These lands were never ceded. From the Embers Season 2: Phoenix is supported by The Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas, The Paul Ramsay Foundation, Monash University’s Fire to Flourish program and The Minderoo Foundation Fire and Flood Resilience Initiative – and broadcast across Australia via the Community Radio Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever increasing record high flood levels are marked on the side of Lismore’s flood levee. Lismore, a town in Northern New South Wales is dissected by two major rivers. When there’s heavy rainfall, water flows down from the surrounding hills, slowing at the bottom and spreading across the floodplain. The town’s residents know floods, their houses are built high, some four metres off the ground in the canopies of trees. Many have flood plans, keeping kayaks and dinghies tethered to their homes in case of emergency. On February 27 2022, water inundated the town, sweeping away cars, stranding residents on rooftops and filling houses with inches of mud. In the weeks that followed volunteer hubs sprang up to feed and clothe locals forced to shelter in tents and cars as they struggle to recover with minimal support and start to clean out and rebuild their homes in the trees. Guests:Vicki FindlayNaomi MoranAidan RickettsLucy WiseFreya Woodland Production team:Producer and sound design: Sarah MashmanEngineer: Tegan NicholsTheme composer: Oliver BeardAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsManagement team: Abe Killian and Sime Knezevic Roofs above water was made on Widjabul Wia-bal Country of the Bundjalung Nation and the lands of the muwinina people from Country around nipaluna. These lands were never ceded. From the Embers Season 2: Phoenix is supported by The Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas, The Paul Ramsay Foundation, Monash University’s Fire to Flourish program and The Minderoo Foundation Fire and Flood Resilience Initiative and broadcast across Australia via the Community Radio Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One and a half million hectares of Yuin Country was destroyed by the 2019/2020 mega fires in the South Coast of New South Wales. These fires killed countless animals, plants and insect species - some of which are now on the brink of extinction. Many members of the South Coast Yuin Community call these mega fires, ‘Wrong Fire,’ fires that can’t be controlled and have the capacity to injure and kill. This type of fire is vastly different to Right Fire, often called Cultural Burning. Right Fire has been practised for thousands of years and has the capacity to heal and care for all. Content warning this feature contains stories from the 2019/2020 Fires. Guests: Andrew WhiteUncle NookVikki Parsley Credits:Producer: Alice AnsaraExecutive producer and sound design: Sarah MashmanEngineer: Tegan NichollsTheme music by Oliver BeardAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsMinga-Yung - Your Mother by Jordan NyeManagement team: Abe Killian and Sime Knecevic This podcast was made on the lands of the Walbunga and the Yuin Nation and the lands of the muwinina people from Country around nipaluna. These lands were never ceded. From the Embers Season 2: Phoenix is supported by The Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas, The Paul Ramsay Foundation, Monash University’s Fire to Flourish program and The Minderoo Foundation Fire and Flood Resilience Initiative and broadcast across Australia via the Community Radio Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The fires that tore through the South Coast of New South Wales in 2019/2020 hit towns on the coast and in the bush. Within the community, homes were lost, some experienced events that left them traumatised and all inhabited a devastated landscape. Animal habitats were also affected and when both logging companies and urban developers began to encroach on the habitat of the critically endangered Swift Parrot, locals from the South Coast began to stand up and take action to save the home that this small bird needs in order to survive.  Content warning: this feature contains stories from the 2019/2020 Fires. Guests:Bill EgerNick HopkinsJordan NyeDr. Debbie Saunders Credits:Producer: Alice AnsaraExecutive producer and sound design: Sarah MashmanEngineer: Tegan NichollsTheme music by Oliver BeardAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsManagement team: Abe Killian and Sime Knecevic This episode was made on the lands of the Walbunga and the Budawang people of the Yuin Nation and the lands of the muwinina people from Country around nipaluna. These lands were never ceded From the Embers Season 2: Phoenix is supported by The Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas, The Paul Ramsay Foundation, Monash University’s Fire to Flourish program and The Minderoo Foundation Fire and Flood Resilience Initiative and broadcast across Australia via the Community Radio Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.