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Richelle and Byron thought they endured a lifetime of anguish after their farm was incinerated in the Black Summer fires. Then the unthinkable happened
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A young family is struggling to survive after their farm was ravaged by bushfires for the second time in a few years.
Richelle and Byron Jackson have operated their dairy farm at Coolagolite, on the NSW south coast, for seven years.
Tragedy first struck the parents – who have three boys aged six, seven and nine – during the Black Summer fires of 2019-20, when a blaze severely damaged their farm.
As they began to rebuild, another fire ravaged their lives.
Richelle and Byron Jackson have operated their dairy farm at Coolagolite, on the NSW south coast, for seven years.
Earlier this week, another fire raged and destroyed large swaths of their property.
Earlier this week, another massive fire broke out and destroyed large swaths of their property.
They stayed at home as long as they could to protect their animals, but unfortunately not all of their livestock could be saved.
The Jacksons were forced to slaughter around fifty sheep and several cows after being burned by the flames or inhaled by the smoke.
At least 220 hectares of family enclosures were burned by the fire, which also damaged their fences and feed stores.
The couple had just finished rebuilding their property following the previous bushfire and are now at “absolute breaking point”.
Neighbor Honey Atkinson is now Fund raising to help the desperate family.
The Jacksons were forced to slaughter around fifty sheep and several cows after being burned by the flames or inhaled by the smoke.
At least 220 hectares of family enclosures were burned by the fire, which also damaged their fences and feed stores.
She was there to try to fight the flames herself, but had to retreat to protect her own home from the flames.
“Part of my house caught fire so I had to quickly try to save it,” Ms Atkinson said.
“They had just finished rebuilding their farm before this happened.
“They’re just devastated, they don’t want to talk to anyone, they just don’t know what they’re going to do.”
She said hell “came out of nowhere.”
Tragedy first struck the parents – who have three boys aged six, seven and nine – during the Black Summer fires of 2019-20, when a blaze severely damaged their farm.
“The sky was red, there was wind, then all of a sudden there was only fire.”
Ms. Jackson is said to be “at breaking point, struggling to imagine how we can rebuild once again.”
“They’re just broken,” Ms Atkinson said. “It’s beyond sad, it’s just horrible, it’s just shit, it’s just unfair.”
NSW Premier Chris Minns has already predicted a “horrible” bushfire season, with hot, dry weather expected to turn swaths of land into tinderboxes.