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Home / World

'Pretty scary': 11-year-old boy describes brave escape from Aussie bushfires

NZ Herald
3 Jan, 2020 06:03 PM2 mins to read

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Hard-hit Victoria town of Mallacoota cut off by bushfires. Video / ABC Australia

The photo of 11-year-old Finn Burns steering a boat out of Mallacoota Beach shrouded in the red haze of the fiery skies made headlines and won't be forgotten by many any time soon.

The Australia boy has told the Daily Telegraph what it was like to escape the fire that ravaged the area.

The 11-year-old boy said it was "pretty scary" and his focus was just on staying safe."

"When we left it just went pitch black and it was really, really windy. We were just worried about getting away from the fire and just being safe," he said.

Finn Burns steering a boat out of Mallacoota Beach. Photo / Supplied.
Finn Burns steering a boat out of Mallacoota Beach. Photo / Supplied.
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His mother, Allison Marion, took the photo and said she was very proud of Finn for staying calm in that situation.

"Both my boys are little legends, they were very calm. Finn drove the boat and my other son looked after the dog in the boat and (I am) very proud of both of them," she told ABC.

"We were lucky enough to be with a group of other people from Mallacoota and other families who assisted us and we followed them out to Goodwin Sands where we located for the day and there were a lot of Mallacoota people sheltering."

The family has revealed they have since managed to return home and found it had been spared from the fires.

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"Our street escaped the fire somehow, however, I feel for many people in our community who have lost their homes. It's just truly saddening," she said.

"I couldn't thank those other families enough for letting us go with them out there and we've all sheltered together out there and our boys had some friends out there and we were all able to support each other," the mum added.

READ MORE:
• 'It's like midnight': Thousands trapped on Mallacoota beach in Victoria
• Mallacoota residents flee bushfires on boat, post terrifying video showing blood-red skies
• 'I can't go anywhere': Radio host's terrifying interview as bush fire edges closer
• Australian troops prepare for bushfire emergency evacuations by sea

Four thousand people were trapped for several hours on Mallacoota beach over the weekend as the fires continue to rage in the Victoria region.

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