Several residents from Queensland's Western Downs are still unable to return to their homes after frantic evacuations in dangerous bushfire conditions.
Multiple fires are burning across the region, but authorities have been focused on large and destructive blazes near Miles, Tara and Jandowae over the past few days.
The fire near Miles is at "watch and act" level, while the Tara and Jandowae fires have been downgraded to advice.
Most Tara residents have been able to go back to their properties and begin to assess the damage. Others are still waiting for safety clearance.
The three bushfires have ripped through a combined total of more than 150,000 hectares and at least 21 structures have been destroyed.
Queensland Rural Fire Service Superintendent Wayne Waltisbuhl said the conditions had been some of the worse firefighters had seen in "many years".
Some residents already know they've lost their homes, others don't know what they'll return to.
Most say they're just grateful for their safety, but some have shared harrowing details about the rebuild efforts that lie ahead.
A long road ahead to rebuild
When Darren Sutton became aware of the direction the fires were headed and how severe they were, he realised he didn't have much time to move his four horses and 10 dogs to safety.
"We were untying dogs and there were literally flames metres from us," he said.
"It was a very close call. It was pretty dramatic.
"All the lives are safe, we've just gotta rebuild again now."
Mr Sutton said he was living off the grid on his property, which he hasn't been able to return to, and escaped with nothing but his animals and the clothes on his back.
"There's nothing, I've got nothing now," he said.
"I've lost all my dog kennels, I've lost everything, literally everything. I don't know where I'm going to set my dogs up again now that there's no shade out there.
"I've been living out of campsites, but I'm going to treat myself to a motel room tonight."
Miles Showground caretaker David Smith has opened up the yards for people who have had to move their horses.
"In these country towns, most people rally together and help each other," he said.
"The people that have been burnt out will have a long road [ahead], you feel sorry for them."
Enduring optimism
Trudy Watson has been told by firefighters there's a 50 per cent chance her property will be able to be saved as she takes refuge at a local caravan park.
She said she is worried about what she'll come home to but knows everything that can be done, will be done.
"If it's all gone, it's gone. Life goes on," she said.
"If the house is still standing and in one piece, well, that's a bonus."
She said it's been emotional to watch her community go through such a tough time.
"It's devastating, but you've got to look on the bright side," she said.
"At least they've still got each other, they've still got their loved ones and the community around them to support them.
"My heart goes out to everyone who's lost stuff."
Possessions lost, but meals to share
Cheryl Morrison and Dave Collins lost a shed on their Myall Park Road property, along with pretty much everything in it.
Their house that was previously on the block burned down in a previous bushfire.
"It's better than losing lives, that's the most important thing," Mr Collins said.
"It's pretty scary stuff when it goes through.
"It is what it is — nature."
Mr Collins has a butcher shop, and despite his property losses, said he would be using his supplies to cook meals for the "incredible" volunteers battling the blazes.
"We're going to set up camp and feed everybody," Mr Collins said.
Animals saved just in time
Heidi Williams and her family also raced against time to save their beloved horses.
Ms Williams said her daughters, aged 17 and 11, walked more than 6 kilometres to lead their horses away from the fire.
"They wanted their horses, they weren't leaving without them," she said.
"Help started coming, and I said to them 'please, go help the girls, they're the ones that need it'."
She said members of the community she'd never met before put their lives on the line to help her girls and her pets.
"It was really amazing to see that everyone got together and helped," she said.
"At the end of the day, the most important thing is that we're alive, we have each other and the kids still have their pets."
Ms Williams said she's not expecting conditions to ease "anytime soon".
Uneasy wait to return home
Shannon Ale has been waiting to return to his property near Tara, but roads have remained closed due to fallen powerlines and work being conducted by Ergon Energy.
"The crews are doing what they can to make it safe for us to return home, we appreciate everything they're doing ... it's just waiting," he said.
"You've gotta try and keep it together, as hard as it is, especially for your family. Someone's gotta have the big shoulders."
He and his family have been away from their home since Sunday afternoon after fires threatened the property.
"We'll return home and assess the damage. We've been reassured the house is fine, but the livestock, they're my main concern," he said.
"There's all the groceries and food that would be starting to go off in the fridges and freezers, but we can go and buy that again.
"It is what it is now, it's just a matter of waiting."
Thankful for firefighters and the community
Alice Bosch, who also lives on Myall Park Road, said her household didn't realise how close the fire had come because of the wind direction.
"We were just watching television, didn't know anything was going on. We didn't smell anything," she said.
"Next minute, the police knocked on our door. If they didn't knock on our door, we wouldn't have known the fire was right near the house."
She said locals and firefighters rushed to help them protect their newly renovated home.
"It blew me away. All these people, I didn't even know them, just rocked up and started helping us," she said.
"They saved our house, they really saved our house."
Ms Bosch said she had been feeling scared and unsafe as the situation developed, but thanked those who put so much effort into battling the blaze.
"The fire just comes from all directions towards your house," she said.
"They are so calm, the firies.
"They just keep smiling like it's nothing, like they were going to the grocery store. It was really amazing, I couldn't do it."
