As Leo Bates approaches his family’s property, the landscape turns sepia.
“It’s like putting a filter on,” the 19-year-old said.
“You can see the ash covering everything.
“There’s a lot of smoke everywhere still — I wasn’t expecting there to be this much in all honesty … it’s kind of a wasteland.”
The Bates’ homestead on Nanga Brook Road was right in the path of the fire that started in the nearby state forest on Saturday.
The blaze — which tore through more than 3,000 hectares of land in the shires of Waroona and Murray — has since been downgraded to advice level.
Mr Bates was about to drive down to the property on Saturday, when his mum received a call from the two caretakers living at the homestead full-time — Jo Claridge and Ryan Cattell.
There was a fire coming, and three dogs and about a dozen cats needed to be evacuated.
The cats were from the Bengal cattery Mr Bates runs with his mum in Perth, which is currently being renovated.
Mr Bates started driving, but had not had any updates when the neighbours called.
“[They] were leaving going, ‘There’s fire in your property already and we’re next to you guys — if your caretakers haven’t left now or in the next 10 minutes, they’re probably going to die or get trapped’.”
Finally, Mr Bates received word that Ms Claridge and Mr Cattell, and all the animals, were safe.
He said he had never been more grateful.
The caretakers had been in town when they saw the fire was headed for the property.
“They could’ve quite literally stayed in Waroona, and not had to risk their safety or anything,” he said.
“The fact they came back here, and saved everyone … when we couldn’t do anything ourselves because we were so far away, it really just means so much to us.”
When Mr Bates returned to survey the damage, he found the house he usually stayed in had mostly been spared.
But Ms Claridge and Mr Cattell’s house, Mr Bates’s sister’s playhouse and the cats’ enclosure were completely burned through.
“[The caretakers] lost everything else … and they’ve lost it all just so that they could get our animals out at the time.”
The Bengals have been temporarily rehomed until the cattery in Perth is complete, though Mr Bates said two of them who were just weeks from giving birth had likely suffered miscarriages.
Volunteers reflect after a challenging week
Volunteer Brigade Captain Michael Simpson told ABC Radio he and his team knew the fire was going to be bad from the beginning.
“We were one of the first brigades sent out to this fire up in Lane Poole Reserve — it was quite a big fire,” he said.
He said the level of support from across the community and beyond was huge.
“We’ve had people fly home from FIFO jobs and things like that, [so] yeah extraordinary,” he said.
“It’s quite a big fire-fighting family. A lot of the people that came to town I have met before at different jobs.
“We all help each other out when it’s needed.”
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services announced this week it would extend the use of a large air tanker in WA.
It was originally set to remain in Busselton until March 27.
The decision comes ahead of hot, dry and windy conditions forecast to continue through autumn.