SASKATOON -- With Australian wildfires still burning, Australians living abroad like Bruce Lyle can only watch as friends and family are moved from their homes to avoid the fires.
His brother and his family have evacuated, as the fire came within about 3.5 kilometres of his house, Lyle said.
"We check the news, there’s a New South Wales fire update site and we check that. I check that at night when they’re sleeping and I message them back and forwards."
Lyle is happy the family is now physically safe, but worries about their emotional health as they got up-rooted from their home, with a baby boy soon to be born.
For Nick Larkan, his brother is far enough away from the fires that he isn’t worried for now, but he has friends who are risking their lives to help others.
"I’ve got a couple of friends back home in and around Perth that are volunteer firefighters," Larkan said.
"Every summer they’re out there volunteering their time, taking time away from their families, their jobs, and trying to help the communities in the bush around Perth."
Larkan says bush fires are common in Australia, and something he’s lived with since he was young, but says this fire isn’t a typical bush fire.
"It’s been very dry, very hot in Australia for quite a few years now, and I think people were expecting there’s to be a bad season for fires, but not as bad as it was."
For now all Lyle and Larkan can do is watch, wait, and hope for the best as crews work hard to fight one of the largest fires the country has seen.
