REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Friday October 15, 2004

MORE than 15 homes were threatened as a massive blaze blew precariously close to hundreds more houses in Cabarita.

Residents in rural homes off Round Mountain Rd were evacuated as those farther north nervously eyed approaching clouds of thick black smoke carried on 40mhigh roaring flames.

Some people prepared to leave their homes and others hosed down their roofs, as fire crews back-burned just metres away late into the night.

The blaze started in bush around Clothiers Creek Rd, but strong winds and high temperatures pushed it through more than 250ha of bush.

It continued to jump containment lines as more than 70 firefighters from the NSW Rural Fire Service, NSW Brigade and National Parks and Wildlife Service tried to slow it down.

Four helicopter crews filled 500-litre buckets and dumped them from above. Extra crews from Lismore and five helicopters were expected to arrive.

Fire crews battled to save 15 homes around Round Mountain Rd and Towners Rd as the fire swept through the area.

Round Mountain Rd resident Karen Porter said the smoke just kept getting thicker.

Her son, Grant Porter, 21, hosed off the roof as the fire front approached.

"I suppose it’s pretty scary," said Ms Porter. "It’s definitely coming along this ridge here."

Round Mountain Rd resident Jo Bowden said her home was safe but the situation was particularly scary.

"The school bus couldn’t get through, so everyone was worried,” she said.