East Lynne resident Kim Hammond has spent two days putting his two fire pumps through their paces, preparing for the worst fire he has seen in the Cockwhy Creek valley.
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Mr Hammond has lived on his acreage for 37 years and has seen small fires come and go, west of the Clyde River or closer to his home on the eastern side.
But the Currowan fire that threatened from the west and north-west on Sunday, December 1, was different.
"We have not a big fire like this roaring down on us before," he told Australian Community Media.
On Monday, December 2, he was repeating his hosing efforts of the day before to protect the home he built by hand in the 1980s, using mudbrick and timber decking.
"I have hosed everything I can," he said.
He has two "football-field sized" clearings near his house. About five acres of his land is cleared, leaving 20-or-so acres as natural forest.
He has a stand-alone solar power system and electric pumps.
On Sunday afternoon, the RFS advice was that it was too late for residents in his area to leave - so he didn't.
He is keeping a weather eye on fire which could come from several directions, depending on wind changes. The main fire front is to the north near Barkshed Road, but others are burning in the area of Windy Woppa Road, Tomboye Road and Wild Pig Road.
Mr Hammond feels he has done all he can, but if the weather becomes too extreme he plans to seek shelter in the more sturdily built home of a neighbour.
"If it was 80 knots and 100 degrees I would be gone," he said.
