By DANNY BUTTLER
GOOD eventually overcame evil in Pakenham Upper on Thursday afternoon.
As deliberately lit fires raced across a cluster of Reynolds Road properties, angels of mercy arrived in the form of CFA crews determined to protect life and property.
Paul Reynolds’ house was surrounded by flames after spot fires blew embers from the front to the back of his property.
With his wife Alex and 18-month-old daughter Cora safely away from the fire front, Mr Reynolds, 38, watched in horror as the flames raced towards his home, coming within just a few metres of buildings.
“For a good couple of hours we were in trouble,” he said. “It came right up to the fenceline … it was very scary.”
“If it wasn’t for the firies, we wouldn’t have a house,” Mr Reynolds said.
Mr Reynolds believes up to 140 fire-fighters were on his property at one point, battling a blaze that threatened to spread to neighbouring houses.
Water-bombing helicopters swooped over the area at one point, delivering tactical payloads to keep the fire from destroying houses.
“I’d praise them all,” he said. “If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be standing here.”
While the peak of the battle saw six crews from around the region struggling to save properties in Reynolds Lane, the job of completely extinguishing the fire lasted several days.
“We had six units here for 24 hours from around 2.30 on Thursday afternoon and the last ones left on Sunday night after they dealt with a few hot spots,” he said.
Mr Reynolds was mystified over how anyone could put lives and property at risk by deliberately lighting bushfires.
“Words can’t describe how I feel,” he said. “What can you say about them?”
