Black Saturday Bushfires St Andrews Vic Australia

[Ant8071]

What is so incredible about that day is how fast the fire travelled but also the intensity, this was like 100 times worse than your average bush fire, just look at the height of the flames it looks like a massive nuclear bomb, nothing could stop this fire. And it was such a hot and windy day, i hope we dont see these conditions again for a while!

[louieb01]

This is History and we learn from History

[ArizonaChris96]

Holy Shit Indeed! Extremely tragic and very sicking.. Beautiful scenery gone, peoples homes and lives lost, sorry for loss.. My thoughts are with the people of Australia

[gaming0wiz]

1:22 .. my god, if i saw anything like that, i would be horrified, you did a great job holding your self together! wish i could have that ability if i ever needed it

[tcla1]

Very late remberance for ALL our local friends who werent as fortunate as Jim.

Jim didn't post the vid, hence why no replies...

Yes he survived as he is a Very smart , switched on guy who survived by going to his home made bunker ..half built into the hill just above the house.Dr.tolhurst.. Leading expert on black sat Cant explain why jims house was saved. i know the place intimately that Was the first front , it created its own wind and a sw change TOTALLY sent it mental.IN Unedited version!!!!

[batmanmick]

Some of the most poignant footage I've seen. Shows just how fast the fire can escalate. Don't know about heroes but you sure were lucky.

[gfanarakos]

at the final moment before you left the fire started spotting 20 meters ahead and the main front was about 200 meters around you .. reminds me 2007 in Greece in Zacharo where similar effects were happening... in one week only in Elia - including Olympia in Greece 1.100.000 acres were burned 48 people died 2 villages were wiped out and many others suffered great damage daylight became night, smoke reached south Africa. That year 3.000.000 acres burned in Greece and 80 people lost

[gfanarakos]

at the final moment before you left the fire started spotting 20 meters ahead and the main front was about 200 meters around you .. reminds me 2007 in Greece in Zacharo where similar effects were happening... in one week only in Elia perfecture -including Olympia in Greece 1.100.000 acres were burned 48 people died 2 villages were wiped out and many others suffered great damage daylight became night, smoke reached south africa. That year 3.000.000 acres burned in greece and 80 people lost

[gfanarakos]

at the final moment before you left the fire started spotting 20 metres ahead and the main front was about 200 metres around you .. reminds me 2007 in Greece in Zacharo where similar effects were happening... in one week only in Elia perfecture - Greece 1.100.000 acres were burned 48 people died 2 villages were wiped out and many others suffered great damage daylight became night, smoke reached south africa. That year 3.000.000 acres burned in greece and 80 people lost

[DevonCousin]

wtf were you doing there!

[ThePaulpope]

This video is taken in Rankins Rd looking south east towards the corner of the Jacksons Rd/Bald Spur Rd intersection.... its about the worst hit area on Black Saturday. Its a miracle that Jim and his house survived. So many of his direct neighbors died that awful day. I thank Jim for getting this video out so many people don't seem to realize just how badly St Andrews was affected. This video says it all.

[Gairm]

That's amazing footage. Thank you for posting it. Am I wrong or are those eucalyptus trees in the foreground? (An oily tree that burns at a very high temperatuere?)

[Daimo988]

incredibly lucky mate, could have been no less than 500m from what we call in the cfa the dead man zone. i dont think any of us will forget the sheer force of this fire. it was terrifying. really seperated the men from the boys... our training officer had to literally sit on two new recruits to stop them from running away from the truck, they didnt exactly understand that the truck was the safest place even though fire was all around, leaving it would have been almost certain death

[sanger122]

that was one hell of a day

[Alice01230123]

Its so sad the awful tragedy is just tear worthy and is completely upsetting. I feel for those in this natural disaster.

[talroxs]

my birthday

[hbnickers73]

OMFG!!!!

[hbnickers73]

OMFG!!!!

[packets1]

You can see just how quickly the fire front blew over the trees in this video, and in many places it was traveling much, much faster than even that. It's no wonder so many people didn't stand a chance.

[spankaful]

I read his story last night in the book Fire Storm and came across the video today and couldn't believe it. Seeing it is just so much diffrent you read all the information about what happened and you know how bad it was but until you actually see videos and photos you really have no idea. Thanks for risking your life so we could all see this!

[spankaful]

I read his story last night in the book Fire Storm and came across the video today and couldn't believe it. Seeing it is just so much diffrent you read all the information about what happened and you know how bad it was but until you actually see videos and photos you really have no idea. Thanks for risking your life so we could all see this!

[spankaful]

I read his story last night in the book Fire Storm and came across the video today and couldn't believe it. Seeing it is just so much diffrent you read all the information about what happened and you know how bad it was but until you actually see videos and photos you really have no idea. Thanks for risking your life so we could all see this!

[spankaful]

I read his story last night in the book Fire Storm and came across the video today and couldn't believe it. Seeing it is just so much diffrent you read all the information about what happened and you know how bad it was but until you actually see videos and photos you really have no idea. Thanks for risking your life so we could see this and understand! It's just so heartbreaking.

[nina7447]

I wouldn't be there videoing it i would be away.

[nicole30594]

sad

[ambipoo81]

Thankyou Jim Baruta, for showing the rest of the world what Victoria went through on the day. This video is amazing, and shows how the fires had their own weather pattens, and you can see the tornado that was ripping up everything in its path.

Well done.

[micktrainor92]

ruuuuun! so tragic

[PinkRoxy97]

poor australia. Many ppl died by that bush fire. :(

[JezzFush]

You need to show this to as many people that live in b/f prone areas as possible... It shows the true ferocity of a massive "fire storm" that caught so many unsuspecting people off guard. If only they knew that nothing could stop something like that from devouring everything in it's path then maybe they may have left earlier. RIP

[tcla1]

PS Jim is a hero that SURVIVED...SOOO many others didnt ...R.I.P friends.........

[nko11]

at 3:42 you can hear cows mooing.... don't like their chances...

[kerrie1ella]

@nko11 that part made me wanna cry, ='(

[RIPGMH888]

Looks like that firefront was only a km away. I was about 2 and a half ks away from the gippsland firefront when i was trying to clean up my grandparents property, but the barstad still burnt it down.

[RIPGMH888]

How u were able to withstand 48 degree heat & 100km/h+ winds & stay that close to the fires to film this is beyond me. You've done a fantastic job in keeping yourself together & showing everyone how vicious that fire really was.

[doctorsandas]

i hope u guys are ok..

[runkimrun69]

woahhhh :O

[tcla1]

hmmm

[tcla1]

Just incase anyone is interested, a lot of this vid is of next door and is my auntie and uncles place. Unfortunately all 3 houses were lost but no lives! the 1 cow that survived out of 20 Just had a Miracle calf, s special survival story for us locals here :)

[tcla1]

Just incase anyone is interested, a lot of this vid is of next door and is my auntie and uncles place. Unfortunately all 3 houses were lost but no lives! the 1 cow that survived out of 20 Just had a Miracle calf, s special survival story for us locals here :)

[morphix007]

hollyshit I had watch the middle of the video a few times to grasp it all, it appears the firestorm moved 500meters in 2 minutes

[hotdogguy]

Awesome footage. We lost our place on the Saturday, got trapped in Toolangi on Monday (saved by Elvis and a wind change), then spent 2 weeks fighting it at friends houses in Chum Creek. Just found your footage. Going to send it to some mates who think they are going to stay and defend should it happen to them. There is nothing anyone can do in the face of what you have posted here. Hopefully it will change their minds. Cheers D

[summ83]

Holy shit mate, thats soooo bloody scary.

Glad you got out ok.

[hollyroxsox]

mate you were soo lucky, next fire season ur better off leaving

[vampiremiyu86]

That footage was unreal, the most incredible I've seen. Did the house survive?? I'm from Healesville, seeing it from here was bad enough, I couldn't even imagine how terrifying it was to be caught so close.

[Animetraffic]

I lived in the Dandenong ranges for 25 years and saw the 83 and 97 bushfires. Footage like this brings back all of the terror, it stays with you for the rest of your life. Thanks for the video. Well done.

[thatshillarious]

is that the front of the fire that hit kinglake

[driftinspaz]

that was the fire that hit it and also st.andrews

[merlybuns]

that sound was horrendous.... amazing footage, I'm blown away by how fast and powerful it was... i still cry for the victims when i see footage like this. Terrifying.

[kidheadcase]

I've never seen bushfire footage like that.

[kidheadcase]

I've never seen bushfire footage like that. That's hellish.

[aoueiss82]

how the hell you sposed to stand there and fight that monster off with a couple of hoses?

[aderice]

Extraordinary.  Brave work Jim. I'm in Warrandyte ... can I come and see your bunker?!

[POLRZGIIRL92]

you was very brave to actually stay and film this it might show them stupid people that keep doing this devestation how evil this doing really is my heart goes out to you

[maskedracoon2]

I don't live that far away from there (I'm in Eltham). I hope none of your stuff got destroyed

[whoppernomeat]

the most incredible bushfire footage I have ever seen.

[waveridin]

seems to be creating a tornado over itself.

[waveridin]

jeeeeezus !!! big gonads mate , ide a been long gone to the bunker.

[possnglenn]

this was amazing im so glad you survivied we are in kinglake central and we also survived good luck

[nickc0586]

it almost looks like a tornado that rolls through, definitely one to be analysed by someone who knows more about this stuff.

[possnglenn]

this is amazing, you are so lucky to be alive we stayed and saved our house in kinglake central too, extremely terrifying, we had no notice it came out of the back of the bush and hit us too. congrats fellow survivor

[possnglenn]

my god you are so brave, we live in kinglake central and stayed and saved our house and it was the most terrifying thing, im glad you are ok fellow black saturday survivor

[CBRSIXPACK]

Intense! Amazing footage,the wind was un -stopable on that fateful day.

[mcv42]

That was an incredibly scary sight....

Strange how at times the intense fire sounded like water...

Thanks for sharing.

[floptious77]

ablazing footage brother! did you stop filming because of heat or to put out embers ? hope you got through OK

[hawkeyesurfer]

Unbelievable video. It seemed to go past your property. Was the house ok? You are incredibly lucky to have witnessed and survived.

[leononski]

this really freaky. is there any more video? afterwards? is the house still standing?

[nickc0586]

by the looks of things, you've filmed the initial northerly fueled fire that shot across 45ks like an arrow. then just before you stopped filming, you got some burnt material falling on your lawn, as though the wind was beginning to swing to the SE.

i assume the wind blew the fire across and towards you after this?

I'd like to use this footage in Wikipedia, it's a free encyclopedia that anyone can read and contribute to. You should also give the CFA, DSE & DHS a call & show it to them :]

[atadich]

where in st andrews is this?

[DorisNB]

Rankines Rd, near Strathewen

[atadich]

hi there...which part of St Andrews was this filmed from?

[leononski]

that is some freaking stuff! is his house still standing? is he ok?

[DorisNB]

House is standing. Very lucky

[leononski]

omfg! that is so unbelievable! has he syill got a house?

[Phunkii]

I hate that you can hear cattle in the background :( Those poor animals :(

[leononski]

omfg! that is some freaky s#$t! did he loose anything/everything?

[lexy17298888]

unreal. holy crap

[jaycoexpanda]

There are no words to describe this. How is your brother now, and did his house survive this fury?

[donttouchstevesbeer]

shit really aint the word for it