1 00:00:11,137 --> 00:00:12,597 Life is a ride. 2 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:15,308 -What's the secret? This is my clutch? -Yep. 3 00:00:15,391 --> 00:00:17,310 It's filled with unexpected… 4 00:00:17,393 --> 00:00:18,811 All right! 5 00:00:18,895 --> 00:00:19,854 …bumps. 6 00:00:21,189 --> 00:00:23,775 Some good, some bad. 7 00:00:24,275 --> 00:00:26,903 And while you certainly can't control what happens, 8 00:00:28,154 --> 00:00:30,782 you can try to control how you deal with it. 9 00:00:31,282 --> 00:00:35,745 For it's in these heated moments that our true character is shown. 10 00:00:36,245 --> 00:00:38,247 We're going to take a closer look, 11 00:00:38,331 --> 00:00:39,415 but not too close, 12 00:00:39,957 --> 00:00:43,336 at the visible effect of the process of combustion. 13 00:00:43,419 --> 00:00:46,631 We had animals come in where their hands would be burnt off. 14 00:00:46,714 --> 00:00:50,885 At its worst, the destructive power can be devastating and deadly. 15 00:00:51,469 --> 00:00:53,304 This is where our house was. 16 00:00:54,097 --> 00:00:56,516 But when managed and controlled properly, 17 00:00:57,016 --> 00:00:59,602 it's one of mankind's greatest discoveries. 18 00:01:08,694 --> 00:01:12,240 Our story of fire begins off the coast of South Australia, 19 00:01:12,323 --> 00:01:15,326 where we take a quick boat ride to reach our destination. 20 00:01:15,993 --> 00:01:20,832 A 1,700-square-mile land mass called Kangaroo Island. 21 00:01:21,791 --> 00:01:23,918 In December of 2019, 22 00:01:24,001 --> 00:01:27,755 lightning storms during the hottest, driest time of the year 23 00:01:27,839 --> 00:01:31,717 ignited the largest bushfires in the history of the island. 24 00:01:31,801 --> 00:01:36,097 And just like that, 46% of Kangaroo Island was burned. 25 00:01:36,180 --> 00:01:38,683 Mother Nature works without a conscience, 26 00:01:39,350 --> 00:01:42,311 and the diverse wildlife population on this island 27 00:01:42,812 --> 00:01:46,482 was decimated in the smoke and flames. 28 00:01:46,566 --> 00:01:47,859 Sam and Dana Mitchell 29 00:01:47,942 --> 00:01:51,696 are the owners and operators of Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park, 30 00:01:51,779 --> 00:01:53,489 and in the face of the fires, 31 00:01:53,573 --> 00:01:58,202 these two, along with their employees and other locals, became instant heroes 32 00:01:58,286 --> 00:02:02,999 as they began the task of rescuing any and all animals displaced or injured. 33 00:02:03,082 --> 00:02:05,668 Two months now since the fires first hit. 34 00:02:05,751 --> 00:02:09,505 Since then, we've seen just under 600 animals 35 00:02:09,589 --> 00:02:12,884 come through the doors, about 95% koalas. 36 00:02:13,426 --> 00:02:16,179 Sam took us for a ride in their rescue vehicle 37 00:02:16,262 --> 00:02:20,349 so we could grasp just how extensive the fire damage was to the land. 38 00:02:20,433 --> 00:02:23,436 So you can see this obviously had all burned. 39 00:02:23,519 --> 00:02:25,271 -All that's new growth? -Yeah. 40 00:02:25,354 --> 00:02:28,232 Nothing that wasn't native survived the fires, 41 00:02:28,316 --> 00:02:31,485 but the Australian bush has dealt with it before. 42 00:02:31,569 --> 00:02:33,446 Yeah, it's made for it. 43 00:02:35,907 --> 00:02:38,826 Yeah, this was a big fire. 44 00:02:40,620 --> 00:02:41,495 Wow. 45 00:02:47,251 --> 00:02:50,963 Every direction here is burned. There's a patch beyond us that's not. 46 00:02:51,047 --> 00:02:52,173 Jeez. 47 00:02:59,555 --> 00:03:00,389 Jeez! 48 00:03:09,148 --> 00:03:12,401 It's really hard to explain the speed that it moved in. 49 00:03:12,485 --> 00:03:14,654 You can see burnt-out areas, 50 00:03:14,737 --> 00:03:17,198 but you drive 100 km west and everything's burned, 51 00:03:17,281 --> 00:03:18,950 and that all happened overnight, 52 00:03:19,033 --> 00:03:22,662 you just gotta think how quick this thing was really moving. 53 00:03:23,871 --> 00:03:27,625 It was quite hard to see when the smoke and ash was coming at you. 54 00:03:27,708 --> 00:03:30,044 Even wearing goggles, your eyes were burning. 55 00:03:32,129 --> 00:03:35,091 Now, we've gone through one winter since the fire, 56 00:03:35,174 --> 00:03:36,801 so the paddock's greened up. 57 00:03:37,510 --> 00:03:40,930 Every bit of grass-- Everything was black. 58 00:03:41,013 --> 00:03:42,640 It was just ash, black. 59 00:03:42,723 --> 00:03:45,268 The ground here, you wouldn't see red, just ash. 60 00:03:45,351 --> 00:03:50,564 It's almost to a point where you don't even believe it could come back. 61 00:03:50,648 --> 00:03:51,524 No. 62 00:03:51,607 --> 00:03:54,902 We would go out here and check a carcass. 63 00:03:54,986 --> 00:03:58,281 You'd roll it over and wouldn't see a fly, ant, or bug. 64 00:03:58,364 --> 00:04:01,867 You'd just think it was everything. Um, everything suffered. 65 00:04:03,828 --> 00:04:07,581 And it's gonna take many years for anything to move back in. 66 00:04:11,627 --> 00:04:15,047 Even a year on, it's still a lot of work to be done. 67 00:04:16,132 --> 00:04:19,635 The damage and destruction goes as far as the eye can see 68 00:04:19,719 --> 00:04:21,470 and in every direction. 69 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:26,851 After rescuing whatever animals survived, 70 00:04:27,435 --> 00:04:30,771 the next step was to bring them to the center for rehabilitation. 71 00:04:31,772 --> 00:04:35,401 Well over a year now, and we still got 20-odd koalas 72 00:04:35,484 --> 00:04:38,154 from the bushfires living here at the park. 73 00:04:38,738 --> 00:04:42,241 -It was well over 600, wasn't it? 650. -Yeah, over 650. 74 00:04:42,325 --> 00:04:43,242 Really? 75 00:04:43,326 --> 00:04:46,579 In a short period of time, and we've released about 250. 76 00:04:46,662 --> 00:04:49,707 But, unfortunately, the rest didn't make it. 77 00:04:50,291 --> 00:04:52,376 So of that 600, only 250 were-- 78 00:04:52,460 --> 00:04:54,295 Yeah, yeah. 79 00:04:54,962 --> 00:04:57,340 We weren't built to be a rescue center. 80 00:04:57,423 --> 00:04:59,675 We were a tourism destination. 81 00:04:59,759 --> 00:05:03,763 We did rescue and rehabilitate some koalas and kangaroos each year. 82 00:05:04,347 --> 00:05:09,393 When the fires hit, it went from a few each year to 600 83 00:05:09,477 --> 00:05:11,020 in just the two months. 84 00:05:11,103 --> 00:05:13,356 -The population was booming over here. -Wow. 85 00:05:13,439 --> 00:05:17,318 It was estimated somewhere between 50 to 60,000 koalas. 86 00:05:17,401 --> 00:05:20,529 Now, somewhere between five and 10,000 koalas left, 87 00:05:20,613 --> 00:05:23,199 so about 80% of that population lost. 88 00:05:23,282 --> 00:05:24,116 Oh my gosh. 89 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:26,243 -Insane. -And kangaroos and reptiles… 90 00:05:26,327 --> 00:05:31,290 Yeah, the reason we saw the most koalas out of any other species 91 00:05:31,374 --> 00:05:33,959 was they're the only animal that didn't have a chance to get away. 92 00:05:34,043 --> 00:05:37,922 The goannas and the snakes can go somewhere underground. 93 00:05:38,005 --> 00:05:41,092 The birds can fly away, the kangaroos have a chance to hop away, 94 00:05:41,175 --> 00:05:44,136 whereas the koalas are at the top of big trees. 95 00:05:44,220 --> 00:05:48,307 They see the fire coming, can't get down, and they're not fast as it is anyways. 96 00:05:48,808 --> 00:05:51,936 The very first few weeks was probably the hardest 97 00:05:52,019 --> 00:05:54,605 because we'd have animals come in 98 00:05:54,688 --> 00:05:58,192 where their fingers or their hands would be burnt off. 99 00:05:58,275 --> 00:05:59,193 Oh, jeez. 100 00:05:59,276 --> 00:06:04,657 We found kangaroos that had stubs for legs two weeks after the fires, 101 00:06:04,740 --> 00:06:06,325 still feeding their joeys. 102 00:06:06,409 --> 00:06:09,120 That's amazing. You guys were thrust into greatness. 103 00:06:09,203 --> 00:06:10,996 -Yeah. -Yeah, kept us busy. 104 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:14,041 We have somebody for you to meet. This is Mickey. 105 00:06:14,125 --> 00:06:17,169 Mickey's one of our keepers… …here at the park. 106 00:06:17,253 --> 00:06:19,964 -On her shoulder, she's got Pearl. -Oh my God. 107 00:06:20,047 --> 00:06:23,175 So Pearl is one of our little bushfire rescues. 108 00:06:23,259 --> 00:06:24,885 As you can see, she's very cuddly. 109 00:06:24,969 --> 00:06:27,555 She's probably one of the remaining ones who-- 110 00:06:27,638 --> 00:06:29,140 You're welcome to pet her. 111 00:06:29,223 --> 00:06:30,182 I would! 112 00:06:30,266 --> 00:06:34,520 She's one of the koalas remaining that was one of the most burnt 113 00:06:34,603 --> 00:06:35,563 out of the joeys. 114 00:06:35,646 --> 00:06:36,772 Right here. I can see. 115 00:06:36,856 --> 00:06:39,775 All four of her paws, right across her ears. 116 00:06:39,859 --> 00:06:42,820 Mickey did a lot of work with me throughout the fires 117 00:06:42,903 --> 00:06:46,365 looking after the joeys, bottle-feeding them and all that. 118 00:06:46,449 --> 00:06:49,785 Pearl's definitely one of our special little girls. 119 00:06:49,869 --> 00:06:53,456 Who's a good koala bear? You are. 120 00:06:53,539 --> 00:06:55,249 Oh yeah! 121 00:06:55,332 --> 00:06:59,670 I'll grab Pearl. We'll take her inside. They don't like the sun too much. 122 00:06:59,753 --> 00:07:01,839 Really? Always trying to stay cool? 123 00:07:01,922 --> 00:07:05,176 We'll head inside, and we can go say hello to Pearl in there. 124 00:07:05,259 --> 00:07:07,386 -Hi, sweet thing. -What do you think? 125 00:07:07,470 --> 00:07:09,180 -Gosh, they're so cool. -Yeah. 126 00:07:09,263 --> 00:07:12,683 We'll head over this way, inside where it's not so hot. 127 00:07:12,766 --> 00:07:14,643 So she's five kilos, you think? 128 00:07:14,727 --> 00:07:16,312 -Roughly five. -Just under five. 129 00:07:16,395 --> 00:07:19,356 -Up to 15, the males? -Yeah. We got a big boy here. 130 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:23,360 I'll show you, and he's only 11, but he's an impressive lump. 131 00:07:23,444 --> 00:07:24,403 Wow. 132 00:07:24,487 --> 00:07:28,157 Watch your feet. There's kangaroo joeys running around. 133 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:30,743 -"Impressive lump" just like you. -Thank you. 134 00:07:30,826 --> 00:07:33,204 This is the moment we've been waiting for. 135 00:07:33,287 --> 00:07:37,833 We're in Australia on Kangaroo Island, about to see kangaroos. 136 00:07:37,917 --> 00:07:41,420 Inside here is where all of the rehabilitation happens. 137 00:07:41,504 --> 00:07:43,130 -Oh my God. -Wow. 138 00:07:43,756 --> 00:07:47,092 -Hi. I didn't know you guys laid down. -Can I go up to 'em? 139 00:07:47,176 --> 00:07:50,179 Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Sam's got some milk for them. 140 00:07:50,262 --> 00:07:52,056 I've never seen you lay down before. 141 00:07:52,139 --> 00:07:53,599 -Hi. 142 00:07:53,682 --> 00:07:54,934 Oh hi, buddy! 143 00:07:55,017 --> 00:07:57,561 Yeah, this little girl come in yesterday. 144 00:07:57,645 --> 00:07:58,729 Hi, sweetheart. 145 00:07:59,813 --> 00:08:02,107 -She's not in a great way. -Oh. 146 00:08:03,150 --> 00:08:05,402 And little Grace behind us here. 147 00:08:05,486 --> 00:08:06,612 Hi, baby. 148 00:08:06,695 --> 00:08:09,323 Beautiful little girl. She's quite adventurous. 149 00:08:09,406 --> 00:08:11,283 If you want, give these a shake. 150 00:08:11,367 --> 00:08:14,328 That one is for the smaller kangaroo behind you. 151 00:08:14,411 --> 00:08:17,373 -This one is for the larger kangaroo. -Here you go. 152 00:08:17,456 --> 00:08:18,666 Yeah, just… 153 00:08:18,749 --> 00:08:20,334 -Hi, boo boo. 154 00:08:20,417 --> 00:08:22,211 They get a little bit distracted. 155 00:08:22,294 --> 00:08:24,213 Like, "I know someone else has my bottle." 156 00:08:24,296 --> 00:08:29,134 This is like the definition of dangling a carrot. Come here, check it out. 157 00:08:29,218 --> 00:08:32,096 Both of these girls came in from road accidents. 158 00:08:32,179 --> 00:08:34,765 Both mums were unfortunately hit and killed on the roads, 159 00:08:34,848 --> 00:08:39,186 but luckily, when they are hit, the joey in the pouch is quite protected. 160 00:08:39,770 --> 00:08:42,356 Look at you, perfect balance. Your tail, you're cheating. 161 00:08:42,439 --> 00:08:43,983 I can hear his digestion. 162 00:08:44,483 --> 00:08:46,151 -Drinking it? -His stomach. 163 00:08:47,778 --> 00:08:52,283 It should be noted baby koalas and baby kangaroos are called joeys. 164 00:08:52,366 --> 00:08:55,369 In fact, all marsupial babies are called joeys. 165 00:08:55,953 --> 00:08:57,705 These girls are ready to go to bed. 166 00:08:57,788 --> 00:09:00,541 If you hold the bag, they should hopefully slip into it. 167 00:09:00,624 --> 00:09:02,501 Jerry's already lying down. 168 00:09:02,585 --> 00:09:05,379 Just hold it out and open, they should slip in, 169 00:09:05,462 --> 00:09:08,132 ready to go to bed, and we can hang them up behind us. 170 00:09:08,632 --> 00:09:09,717 Wanna go in here? 171 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:10,884 Come on. Come here. 172 00:09:11,510 --> 00:09:12,636 Go on. 173 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:15,139 Maybe. No. 174 00:09:15,806 --> 00:09:19,435 So this little-- She's gonna think this is like… 175 00:09:19,518 --> 00:09:21,270 -There we go. -…the pouch? 176 00:09:21,353 --> 00:09:25,566 The pouch is an artificial bag for them to think they're in mum's pouch. 177 00:09:25,649 --> 00:09:28,319 You gotta shuffle 'em in a little bit. Yeah. 178 00:09:29,737 --> 00:09:32,531 Look what I got. She's looking to go. 179 00:09:32,615 --> 00:09:35,868 -She's ready. She's primed now. -Wanna come in here? 180 00:09:36,785 --> 00:09:38,454 Nope. Uh, guess not. 181 00:09:39,580 --> 00:09:40,414 Denied. 182 00:09:41,165 --> 00:09:43,083 -Wild animals. -Yeah. 183 00:09:43,167 --> 00:09:44,126 What a trip. 184 00:09:44,209 --> 00:09:46,629 Well, Darin is indeed the Joey Whisperer. 185 00:09:51,550 --> 00:09:53,469 Wildfires are going to happen. 186 00:09:53,552 --> 00:09:55,804 It isn't about planning for the unexpected, 187 00:09:55,888 --> 00:09:57,848 it's about planning for the inevitable. 188 00:09:57,931 --> 00:09:59,892 And because of climate change, 189 00:09:59,975 --> 00:10:02,436 each summer, the fires are getting bigger 190 00:10:02,519 --> 00:10:04,021 and spreading faster. 191 00:10:04,104 --> 00:10:08,776 Sam, Dana, and others in the area are pushing for a better infrastructure 192 00:10:08,859 --> 00:10:10,319 to deal with the future. 193 00:10:10,402 --> 00:10:14,615 Koalas and kangaroos are the majority of the animals rescued here. 194 00:10:14,698 --> 00:10:18,661 Because they're cute and cuddly, people are more motivated to save them. 195 00:10:18,744 --> 00:10:22,706 However, charitable donations are used to help any and all creatures 196 00:10:22,790 --> 00:10:25,209 they're equipped to rescue and rehabilitate here. 197 00:10:25,292 --> 00:10:27,711 -That includes this guy. -Yordi. 198 00:10:28,295 --> 00:10:29,630 Hey Zac, nice to meet you. 199 00:10:29,713 --> 00:10:32,132 -How are you? Darin. -Darin, nice to meet you. 200 00:10:32,216 --> 00:10:33,217 Cool. 201 00:10:33,300 --> 00:10:35,511 She's about three years old. She's a baby. 202 00:10:35,594 --> 00:10:36,428 Wow. 203 00:10:36,512 --> 00:10:39,014 How many reptiles were you guys getting in? 204 00:10:39,098 --> 00:10:43,185 Well, Australia has been managed with fire for forever. 205 00:10:43,268 --> 00:10:46,313 The Aboriginal people used fire to manage this land. 206 00:10:46,397 --> 00:10:50,401 Some plants here are fire-resistant. Without fire, they don't flower or seed. 207 00:10:50,484 --> 00:10:53,028 So, these animals have grown up with fire. 208 00:10:53,112 --> 00:10:56,824 Some animals, like black kites, use fire to their advantage. 209 00:10:56,907 --> 00:10:59,660 When a black kite sees smoke, he'll cook over there. 210 00:10:59,743 --> 00:11:02,413 He knows there's cooked lizards and snakes. 211 00:11:02,496 --> 00:11:05,624 He doesn't have to hunt. He can just go have a barbecue. 212 00:11:05,708 --> 00:11:07,251 -Wow. -Look at that. 213 00:11:07,334 --> 00:11:08,210 Wow. 214 00:11:09,712 --> 00:11:14,508 Ready for my close-up? Check that out. Look at your reflection. 215 00:11:15,926 --> 00:11:18,429 -Hasn't bitten anyone this week, so… -Yeah. 216 00:11:19,012 --> 00:11:21,849 -Cool, all right. Wow. -Awesome stuff, man. 217 00:11:21,932 --> 00:11:23,767 -Good on you. -Thank you. Awesome. 218 00:11:23,851 --> 00:11:25,978 -Cheers, man. Thank you. -Bloody oath. 219 00:11:27,146 --> 00:11:31,275 As heartbreaking as it is to witness this aftermath of the wildfire damage, 220 00:11:31,358 --> 00:11:33,944 it's uplifting to see this community come together 221 00:11:34,027 --> 00:11:37,072 to save so much of the wildlife on Kangaroo Island. 222 00:11:38,365 --> 00:11:41,118 You know how you call tell if a kangaroo is male or female? 223 00:11:41,201 --> 00:11:42,870 Females have a pouch. 224 00:11:44,121 --> 00:11:47,666 Whoa! I'm no expert, but I believe that is a male kangaroo. 225 00:11:50,377 --> 00:11:52,421 The Black Summer is the name given 226 00:11:52,504 --> 00:11:56,800 to the Australian bushfire season of 2019 through 2020. 227 00:11:58,010 --> 00:12:02,556 Hundreds of fires burned down 46 million acres of land. 228 00:12:02,639 --> 00:12:08,061 That's 20% of the country's forests, and thousands of buildings and homes. 229 00:12:08,145 --> 00:12:12,441 It was the most devastating wildfire season on record for the country, 230 00:12:13,025 --> 00:12:17,196 all costing an estimated $103 billion in damage. 231 00:12:17,279 --> 00:12:21,700 We're here to meet a family that lost their home, farmland, livestock. 232 00:12:21,784 --> 00:12:24,119 Everything burned down to the ground. 233 00:12:24,203 --> 00:12:27,956 But despite all of the loss felt by Tom and Stephanie Wurst, 234 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:30,375 they have a message of hope and positivity 235 00:12:30,459 --> 00:12:32,461 as they slowly rebuild their lives 236 00:12:32,544 --> 00:12:35,047 and a better future for their three children. 237 00:12:35,130 --> 00:12:36,799 Hi, Steph. Nice to meet you. 238 00:12:36,882 --> 00:12:39,092 This is where our house was. 239 00:12:40,177 --> 00:12:41,178 In here. 240 00:12:42,471 --> 00:12:47,518 It was built in the 1950s, so, yeah, it was about 70 years old. 241 00:12:47,601 --> 00:12:50,896 And we'd just finished renovating it, actually, so… 242 00:12:50,979 --> 00:12:52,898 -Oh no. -Oh, you just-- 243 00:12:52,981 --> 00:12:53,816 -Really? -Yeah. 244 00:12:53,899 --> 00:12:56,109 Just had it to where we wanted it. 245 00:12:56,193 --> 00:12:59,321 So, the fire came through on January 3rd, 246 00:12:59,404 --> 00:13:03,075 and we weren't expecting it at all to come this far. 247 00:13:03,158 --> 00:13:06,829 But I think that was my fourth time that I had evacuated, 248 00:13:06,912 --> 00:13:10,624 and so I probably didn't pack as much as I should have. 249 00:13:10,707 --> 00:13:12,459 -It's funny that way. -Yeah. 250 00:13:12,543 --> 00:13:16,588 It just doesn't-- What's essential? Your kids and a couple things. 251 00:13:16,672 --> 00:13:17,756 That's right. 252 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:22,094 At the end of the day, as long as people are safe, then… 253 00:13:22,177 --> 00:13:23,011 Right. 254 00:13:23,095 --> 00:13:25,264 …that's the biggest thing in my mind. 255 00:13:25,889 --> 00:13:27,391 I don't know if you guys know, 256 00:13:27,474 --> 00:13:32,771 but I share the misery and the challenge of that. 257 00:13:32,855 --> 00:13:36,733 I lost-- At the end of our first season, I lost everything. 258 00:13:36,817 --> 00:13:38,360 It's hard to deal with. 259 00:13:38,443 --> 00:13:39,820 Initially, it was so shocking, 260 00:13:39,903 --> 00:13:43,699 there was not one thing left on the whole property from all our whole farm, 261 00:13:43,782 --> 00:13:45,325 all the planting equipment. 262 00:13:45,409 --> 00:13:47,911 There wasn't even a hammer, not one thing. 263 00:13:48,912 --> 00:13:53,917 Livestock, to me, was the hardest part. We lost a lot of livestock. 264 00:13:54,001 --> 00:13:57,838 I think up to 60,000 head of livestock, which were incinerated. 265 00:13:57,921 --> 00:13:59,965 -60,000? Oh my God. -Jeez. 266 00:14:00,048 --> 00:14:02,301 I think that's an underestimate, 267 00:14:02,384 --> 00:14:05,304 but just seeing the livestock which suffered, 268 00:14:05,387 --> 00:14:08,348 and having to try to deal with that as well, like… 269 00:14:08,432 --> 00:14:12,978 But the community has been amazing. The amount of the help that just turned up 270 00:14:13,061 --> 00:14:16,815 within those first few days was just incredible. 271 00:14:16,899 --> 00:14:18,400 Like, it's quite humbling. 272 00:14:19,067 --> 00:14:23,113 I feel like, "Can we ever repay everyone in the world?" 273 00:14:23,196 --> 00:14:26,950 People from around the world have done so much for us. 274 00:14:27,034 --> 00:14:29,828 Sometimes I felt like it was a warm hug coming around us 275 00:14:29,912 --> 00:14:31,580 of everyone around the community. 276 00:14:31,663 --> 00:14:34,458 The community helped Tom and Stephanie immensely 277 00:14:34,541 --> 00:14:36,793 as they slowly got back on their feet. 278 00:14:37,377 --> 00:14:40,380 And Stephanie soon became a voice for the landowners 279 00:14:40,464 --> 00:14:42,424 who had suffered similar losses. 280 00:14:42,507 --> 00:14:45,761 Stephanie even testified before an Australian Senate Committee 281 00:14:45,844 --> 00:14:49,181 to champion the use of Indigenous fire management practices 282 00:14:49,264 --> 00:14:51,475 and other wildlife conservation and protections. 283 00:14:51,558 --> 00:14:54,686 It was a really logistical nightmare 'cause everyone had lost 284 00:14:54,770 --> 00:14:57,272 most of their planting equipment in the fires, 285 00:14:57,356 --> 00:15:02,027 so there wasn't much equipment to help with anything 286 00:15:02,110 --> 00:15:03,946 around the whole farm property. 287 00:15:04,029 --> 00:15:07,658 What was the plan with the cattle? Were you able to save any? 288 00:15:07,741 --> 00:15:11,203 Yeah, yeah, we probably lost a bit over half the livestock. 289 00:15:11,286 --> 00:15:15,582 Some luckily found pockets of land and were saved. 290 00:15:15,666 --> 00:15:20,379 But, yeah, dealing with them afterwards was really hard, 291 00:15:20,462 --> 00:15:24,758 'cause all the fences are burned, there's just livestock going everywhere. 292 00:15:24,841 --> 00:15:27,678 There was no feed, which was the biggest concern. 293 00:15:27,761 --> 00:15:32,349 There was obviously no pasture, no hay. We lost our crops, the hay, everything, 294 00:15:32,432 --> 00:15:35,769 so there was no feed for what we had left. 295 00:15:35,852 --> 00:15:40,440 Do you feel like it's bonded you two and the family together even more? 296 00:15:40,983 --> 00:15:44,444 Yeah. Uh, there's definitely been ups and downs, though. 297 00:15:44,528 --> 00:15:47,447 -Hasn't there, Jack? -Yeah. For sure. 298 00:15:47,531 --> 00:15:50,951 -Not all downs. -It's not all easy, at all. 299 00:15:51,034 --> 00:15:53,745 Um, there's been some really hard times, hasn't there? 300 00:15:53,829 --> 00:15:55,455 There's also been some very good times. 301 00:15:55,539 --> 00:15:57,916 Yeah, there's been some really good times too. 302 00:15:59,668 --> 00:16:01,336 Now, it's time for some fun. 303 00:16:01,420 --> 00:16:04,798 Tom and Stephanie's son Jack will give me a lesson in driving 304 00:16:04,881 --> 00:16:06,883 this big red tractor. 305 00:16:06,967 --> 00:16:08,510 Whoo! Yeah! 306 00:16:14,433 --> 00:16:17,185 This is not gonna go well for me. 307 00:16:20,397 --> 00:16:21,898 Oh, he's making it look easy. 308 00:16:24,276 --> 00:16:26,028 There's only room for two up here, 309 00:16:26,111 --> 00:16:28,780 so Darin's gonna have to sit this one out. 310 00:16:28,864 --> 00:16:31,908 Yeah, that works. Dirt bike. Perfect. 311 00:16:34,244 --> 00:16:36,121 You jump on and show Zac. 312 00:16:38,248 --> 00:16:41,209 All right. Wow, there's a lot of controls. 313 00:16:41,293 --> 00:16:42,836 Hey, good luck, Zac! 314 00:16:44,046 --> 00:16:46,923 -What's the secret? This is my clutch? -Yep. 315 00:16:47,007 --> 00:16:51,136 So, mostly you want to get-- Push that into forwards. 316 00:16:52,471 --> 00:16:54,681 -Yep. -Right. Now we're going forward? 317 00:16:56,641 --> 00:16:57,476 Clutch on. 318 00:16:58,060 --> 00:16:59,936 -Clutch on? -And up to first. 319 00:17:00,645 --> 00:17:02,355 -Clutch on? -And up to first. 320 00:17:02,439 --> 00:17:03,273 All right! 321 00:17:03,857 --> 00:17:04,733 Yoo! 322 00:17:06,902 --> 00:17:08,612 Let's see how fast this thing goes. 323 00:17:10,530 --> 00:17:11,698 I think that's fourth. 324 00:17:11,782 --> 00:17:13,283 See you! 325 00:17:18,955 --> 00:17:20,123 Make sure you hold on. 326 00:17:28,215 --> 00:17:31,176 Got 'em. All right, thanks, sensei. 327 00:17:31,676 --> 00:17:32,636 Back it up. 328 00:17:37,265 --> 00:17:38,391 Yee-hoo! 329 00:17:39,142 --> 00:17:40,018 Whoo! 330 00:17:40,519 --> 00:17:41,353 Oh! 331 00:17:48,902 --> 00:17:50,612 Think we ran over something. 332 00:17:55,617 --> 00:17:56,910 Hey! 333 00:17:58,829 --> 00:18:00,080 Hay! 334 00:18:00,163 --> 00:18:01,748 These guys look hungry. 335 00:18:05,418 --> 00:18:10,674 Little fact, the average cow eats about 24 pounds of hay per day. 336 00:18:11,591 --> 00:18:13,260 I'm just throwing that out there. 337 00:18:16,805 --> 00:18:18,056 What a day. 338 00:18:19,599 --> 00:18:20,851 They like that. 339 00:18:21,351 --> 00:18:23,395 Should we shut this off while the cows eat? 340 00:18:23,478 --> 00:18:24,563 Yeah. 341 00:18:26,398 --> 00:18:27,440 There we go. 342 00:18:27,524 --> 00:18:29,943 This was incredibly satisfying, 343 00:18:30,026 --> 00:18:32,529 and I'm not even talking about driving the tractor, 344 00:18:32,612 --> 00:18:33,905 although that was pretty cool. 345 00:18:38,034 --> 00:18:41,454 You're Maverick, I'm Goose. That's from a movie you haven't seen yet, 346 00:18:41,538 --> 00:18:43,874 but you'll love one day, called Top Gun. 347 00:18:44,374 --> 00:18:47,127 A year ago, this family lost everything. 348 00:18:47,210 --> 00:18:50,338 But it was just stuff, and they always had each other. 349 00:18:50,422 --> 00:18:53,091 Now, they're getting back on their feet again 350 00:18:53,175 --> 00:18:56,011 with more cattle, and a way to feed them. 351 00:18:56,094 --> 00:18:58,638 They're back doing what they love, together. 352 00:18:58,722 --> 00:19:00,390 I think I'm done with movies. 353 00:19:00,473 --> 00:19:03,143 -You weren't even injured. -On to the farm. Thank you. 354 00:19:03,226 --> 00:19:05,228 -See you. -You guys are so sweet. 355 00:19:05,312 --> 00:19:08,940 Oh, thanks for coming. Really enjoyed having guys here. 356 00:19:09,024 --> 00:19:10,442 Yeah, thanks for having us. 357 00:19:13,445 --> 00:19:14,905 Congratulations, guys. 358 00:19:21,244 --> 00:19:23,496 There's a lot modern society can learn 359 00:19:23,580 --> 00:19:26,750 from the old traditions and methods of the past. 360 00:19:26,833 --> 00:19:29,794 With the destruction from the fires here in Australia, 361 00:19:30,921 --> 00:19:34,174 it's more important than ever to listen to those voices. 362 00:19:34,257 --> 00:19:38,094 Today, we'll learn the technique of cool fires or cultural burns, 363 00:19:38,178 --> 00:19:40,388 with the Gerringong Rangers. 364 00:19:40,472 --> 00:19:42,974 This technique dates back thousands of years 365 00:19:43,058 --> 00:19:45,101 and was created by the Aboriginal people 366 00:19:45,185 --> 00:19:47,854 as a way to manage potential wildfire damage. 367 00:19:48,355 --> 00:19:51,650 Growing up in California, I know about prescribed burning, 368 00:19:51,733 --> 00:19:53,401 which is a similar idea. 369 00:19:53,485 --> 00:19:56,613 It'll be interesting to see how the Aboriginals did it. 370 00:19:56,696 --> 00:20:00,158 -You get nervous before you do this? -Sometimes I do. 371 00:20:00,242 --> 00:20:03,745 It'll depend on how big the area that we're gonna burn. 372 00:20:08,750 --> 00:20:10,752 Closest I ever got to starting a fire… 373 00:20:11,753 --> 00:20:16,466 I tried to light a bonfire with gasoline one time, 374 00:20:16,549 --> 00:20:18,635 and it lit up in a fireball. 375 00:20:18,718 --> 00:20:20,762 -It went all around me. -Yeah. 376 00:20:20,845 --> 00:20:25,892 I lost my eyebrows, my eyelashes. Looked pretty funny in my school pictures. 377 00:20:25,976 --> 00:20:28,395 No, we're not showing that school photo. 378 00:20:29,104 --> 00:20:32,649 Seems like wildfires are getting worse and worse. But why? 379 00:20:33,692 --> 00:20:36,945 -Whoa! What are you doing here? -I've always been here. 380 00:20:37,028 --> 00:20:39,990 Since the dawn of time, lightning's been striking the earth, 381 00:20:40,073 --> 00:20:42,617 igniting random fires and causing brush to burn. 382 00:20:43,201 --> 00:20:45,787 So all of these recent fires aren't caused by global warming? 383 00:20:45,870 --> 00:20:49,040 No single wildfire can be blamed directly on climate change, 384 00:20:49,124 --> 00:20:52,836 but wildfires are becoming more frequent, bigger, and longer 385 00:20:52,919 --> 00:20:54,379 because of higher temperatures. 386 00:20:54,462 --> 00:20:55,463 What's the difference? 387 00:20:55,547 --> 00:20:58,550 A steady increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere 388 00:20:58,633 --> 00:21:01,261 is causing the average temperatures on Earth to rise. 389 00:21:01,344 --> 00:21:04,764 The increased temperatures in turn cause longer, hotter fire seasons, 390 00:21:04,848 --> 00:21:06,224 what we know as summers. 391 00:21:06,308 --> 00:21:09,769 The seasonal heat dries up the soil, trees, and other vegetation, 392 00:21:09,853 --> 00:21:12,397 making them all more vulnerable to damaging pests. 393 00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:16,985 All of this dried and dead vegetation is just fuel waiting to be ignited. 394 00:21:17,819 --> 00:21:20,697 Lightning is usually the natural cause of wildfires, 395 00:21:20,780 --> 00:21:22,991 and higher temperatures cause more lightning, 396 00:21:23,074 --> 00:21:24,868 about 10% for every one degree. 397 00:21:24,951 --> 00:21:27,829 Why does nature cause brush fires in the first place? 398 00:21:27,912 --> 00:21:30,457 It's nature's way of keeping the forest healthy. 399 00:21:30,540 --> 00:21:33,501 Fires clear out the underbrush, clean the forest floor, 400 00:21:33,585 --> 00:21:36,379 and return the area to a healthier state. There you have it. 401 00:21:36,463 --> 00:21:39,424 More chances for ignition, a tinderbox of dry fuel, 402 00:21:39,507 --> 00:21:41,885 and a longer summer season for it to happen. 403 00:21:41,968 --> 00:21:45,221 So that's why we're getting more destructive wildfires 404 00:21:45,305 --> 00:21:47,223 all over the globe, year after year. 405 00:21:47,307 --> 00:21:50,643 Keep in mind, in the US, 80 to 90% of wildfires 406 00:21:50,727 --> 00:21:52,520 were caused by human activity, 407 00:21:52,604 --> 00:21:55,857 like careless campers, faulty power lines, and even arson. 408 00:21:55,940 --> 00:21:57,025 Oh, that reminds me. 409 00:21:57,108 --> 00:21:59,778 Now that the forest is healthy again. You better put me out. 410 00:21:59,861 --> 00:22:00,987 Oh. Good call. 411 00:22:01,696 --> 00:22:02,739 Bye! 412 00:22:04,282 --> 00:22:07,619 Aboriginal use of fire as a tool to manage the forest 413 00:22:07,702 --> 00:22:09,954 dates back tens of thousands of years. 414 00:22:10,038 --> 00:22:11,748 The concept is fairly simple. 415 00:22:11,831 --> 00:22:15,543 Regular low-intensity burning of the underbrush in small sections 416 00:22:15,627 --> 00:22:18,630 depletes the forest of natural fuel for wildfires. 417 00:22:19,214 --> 00:22:21,049 In turn, the soil becomes more fertile, 418 00:22:21,132 --> 00:22:25,595 and the larger trees are able to survive if and when the next fires strike. 419 00:22:25,678 --> 00:22:26,930 Yep. Marker. 420 00:22:27,013 --> 00:22:28,098 We'll hop out here. 421 00:22:28,181 --> 00:22:30,934 Traditionally, the Aboriginals believe these burns 422 00:22:31,017 --> 00:22:34,813 have a spiritual connection with the land, and rightly so. 423 00:22:34,896 --> 00:22:38,817 They're using the powerful element of fire to protect their home, 424 00:22:38,900 --> 00:22:43,154 a concept at which the original colonists balked and eventually marveled, 425 00:22:43,238 --> 00:22:45,448 because it seems crazy, yet it works. 426 00:22:45,532 --> 00:22:48,993 Film crew and everyone, I want to show you something. 427 00:22:49,077 --> 00:22:51,621 Just so you don't bump into it. This week, I did. 428 00:22:52,163 --> 00:22:53,581 Over here. 429 00:22:53,665 --> 00:22:55,542 Green ants nest here. 430 00:22:55,625 --> 00:22:57,627 And they'll sting the bejesus out of you. 431 00:22:57,710 --> 00:22:59,587 Wow. Green ants. 432 00:22:59,671 --> 00:23:01,548 I've never heard of green ants. 433 00:23:01,631 --> 00:23:04,342 I'll just assume they're far worse than red ants. 434 00:23:04,426 --> 00:23:05,260 Cool. 435 00:23:07,011 --> 00:23:09,431 Next, it's time to start the actual fire. 436 00:23:10,306 --> 00:23:14,269 Obviously, these are trained rangers with proper permits and equipment, 437 00:23:14,352 --> 00:23:17,188 and nobody should ever attempt this on their own. 438 00:23:17,272 --> 00:23:20,358 First, the healthy tree stumps are cleared of debris and brush 439 00:23:20,442 --> 00:23:23,903 to minimize the potential damage that will be done by the fire. 440 00:23:23,987 --> 00:23:26,448 -Let's go for it. Yeah. Let's go for it. 441 00:23:26,531 --> 00:23:29,742 There's a very ceremonial process to starting the burn. 442 00:23:29,826 --> 00:23:33,997 Clarence will light the very first fire in the most traditional way possible. 443 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:36,082 No lighter or match used. 444 00:23:36,166 --> 00:23:39,502 This is started by the friction of a stick against a piece of wood. 445 00:23:39,586 --> 00:23:42,589 If you want to have a first go, you can have a try. 446 00:23:46,843 --> 00:23:48,553 -Like that? -You're a natural. 447 00:23:50,638 --> 00:23:51,931 Smoking already. 448 00:23:52,015 --> 00:23:52,849 Oh yeah. 449 00:23:52,932 --> 00:23:55,101 No, try to keep in there and not go… 450 00:23:55,185 --> 00:23:56,102 Okay. 451 00:23:57,937 --> 00:24:01,441 This is how it's been done for tens of thousands of years, 452 00:24:01,524 --> 00:24:05,403 and trees like this one are still standing because of it. 453 00:24:05,904 --> 00:24:07,405 Good. Gently blow now. 454 00:24:13,661 --> 00:24:14,496 Now. 455 00:24:15,663 --> 00:24:17,123 Look at these ants. 456 00:24:20,043 --> 00:24:21,336 They're everywhere! 457 00:24:21,419 --> 00:24:23,087 Welcome to North Queensland! 458 00:24:27,967 --> 00:24:29,135 Oh, there we go. 459 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:34,307 This is crazy. It feels like the exact opposite 460 00:24:34,390 --> 00:24:36,935 of what you're supposed to do with fire in the woods. 461 00:24:37,018 --> 00:24:37,977 -Wow. Okay. 462 00:24:38,061 --> 00:24:41,898 I keep reminding myself that this tradition is thousands of years old. 463 00:24:43,733 --> 00:24:47,737 Now that the flame is lit, they'll use matches, which are still wood, 464 00:24:47,820 --> 00:24:50,156 and therefore keeping close to the tradition. 465 00:24:51,032 --> 00:24:53,743 They will do this over and over and over today. 466 00:24:53,826 --> 00:24:57,121 This is a very different experience with fire. 467 00:24:57,789 --> 00:25:01,376 It's treating fire as a friend, as a partner, 468 00:25:01,459 --> 00:25:04,671 using it as a tool to prevent an uncontrolled wildfire 469 00:25:04,754 --> 00:25:07,507 from ravaging the forest and all that live in it. 470 00:25:07,590 --> 00:25:11,344 With this cultural burn, because it's a slow burn, cool burn, 471 00:25:11,427 --> 00:25:15,557 and it'll allow all the animals to get away quickly 472 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:17,058 out of the burning area. 473 00:25:17,141 --> 00:25:19,644 It will also promote grass growth 474 00:25:19,727 --> 00:25:23,189 that sometimes grows in patches in the open forest, 475 00:25:23,273 --> 00:25:26,192 and it allows wallabies and them to come graze 476 00:25:26,276 --> 00:25:28,570 on the young shoots, and… 477 00:25:28,653 --> 00:25:30,905 So you're sort of resetting the soil? 478 00:25:30,989 --> 00:25:34,617 Yeah, resetting the soil, and some of the vegetation here 479 00:25:34,701 --> 00:25:37,662 that does need fire to germinate. 480 00:25:37,745 --> 00:25:41,541 Modern Aboriginal involvement in fire control is fairly new, 481 00:25:42,333 --> 00:25:45,837 but it's a much-needed voice for the process and the community. 482 00:25:48,923 --> 00:25:52,844 We've been burning in places that haven't been burned for 30 years. 483 00:25:52,927 --> 00:25:53,845 Jeez. 484 00:25:53,928 --> 00:25:56,639 You've got 30 years of fuel lying there. 485 00:25:56,723 --> 00:25:59,183 That's a terrible wildfire waiting. 486 00:25:59,267 --> 00:26:03,313 -That's a fire waiting to happen. -Just gonna go off, yeah. 487 00:26:03,396 --> 00:26:05,690 It's interesting. Goes against everything 488 00:26:05,773 --> 00:26:08,234 in your instinct that's good for the forest. Yet it is. 489 00:26:08,318 --> 00:26:11,904 Yeah. That's what people have to realize in regards to fire. 490 00:26:11,988 --> 00:26:14,490 It can be a healer of the country as well. 491 00:26:14,574 --> 00:26:18,703 Fire as a healer. That's an incredible concept. 492 00:26:22,624 --> 00:26:24,542 This really does a lot for me, 493 00:26:24,626 --> 00:26:28,630 because I lost my house in California to fire, 494 00:26:28,713 --> 00:26:31,716 and I really feel like if this was done, 495 00:26:31,799 --> 00:26:37,138 it could have prevented the big fire that destroyed everything. 496 00:26:37,221 --> 00:26:39,515 I feel like this is a proactive thing 497 00:26:39,599 --> 00:26:44,020 that we should be learning from the Indigenous people. 498 00:26:44,103 --> 00:26:44,937 Yeah. 499 00:26:45,021 --> 00:26:47,732 So I'm really grateful for this experience. 500 00:26:49,859 --> 00:26:53,446 The fire will burn for about an hour, clearing out the undergrowth 501 00:26:53,529 --> 00:26:55,365 and eventually dying out on its own. 502 00:26:56,532 --> 00:26:58,868 About 17 acres were cleared today. 503 00:27:01,537 --> 00:27:03,873 Thanks to volunteers like these, 504 00:27:04,457 --> 00:27:08,169 the tradition will continue to be passed down to the next generation. 505 00:27:08,252 --> 00:27:11,714 This ancient Aboriginal ceremony is a holistic approach 506 00:27:11,798 --> 00:27:14,717 that takes into account everything within the environment. 507 00:27:14,801 --> 00:27:17,011 Which trees will burn and which won't, 508 00:27:17,095 --> 00:27:19,347 the amount of undergrowth that will serve as fuel, 509 00:27:19,430 --> 00:27:22,183 and the direction the winds will carry the flames. 510 00:27:22,684 --> 00:27:25,937 And if adopted more, can offer better sustainability 511 00:27:26,020 --> 00:27:30,316 and wildlife protection to forests all over this country and others. 512 00:27:35,738 --> 00:27:37,031 Oh, that's the ants! 513 00:27:37,573 --> 00:27:38,658 Yeah. Green ants? 514 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:40,118 Oy! 515 00:27:40,201 --> 00:27:42,161 Pretty fierce when they wanna be. 516 00:27:42,245 --> 00:27:43,955 Just when you thought it was safe… 517 00:27:44,956 --> 00:27:46,374 …there's the green ants. 518 00:27:47,375 --> 00:27:49,335 -Where are they coming from? -Your neck. 519 00:27:49,419 --> 00:27:51,379 We knew this would happen, right? 520 00:27:52,171 --> 00:27:53,381 Let's get out of here. 521 00:27:55,883 --> 00:27:58,094 Oh, they got a cool little bite on 'em. 522 00:28:02,056 --> 00:28:03,516 Okay. I, marker. 523 00:28:10,648 --> 00:28:14,068 A more positive part of our journey about flames and smoke brings us here 524 00:28:14,152 --> 00:28:16,279 just south of Sydney on this beautiful beach, 525 00:28:16,362 --> 00:28:20,491 to meet a chef who stepped out of more traditional kitchens… 526 00:28:20,575 --> 00:28:21,784 Come on. 527 00:28:21,868 --> 00:28:23,411 …and into the fire. 528 00:28:23,494 --> 00:28:27,123 This is Chef Lennox Hastie, a renowned culinary artist 529 00:28:27,206 --> 00:28:29,208 featured on Chef's Table: BBQ. 530 00:28:29,917 --> 00:28:32,670 And in his world-class restaurant Firedoor, 531 00:28:32,754 --> 00:28:37,175 he doesn't use an oven or a stove, no gas or electricity. 532 00:28:37,258 --> 00:28:41,596 He has perfected the art of cooking with his favorite ingredient, wood. 533 00:28:41,679 --> 00:28:44,640 Luckily, he didn't mind bringing his kitchen to us, 534 00:28:44,724 --> 00:28:48,728 here by the Pacific Ocean, for a lesson on cooking over an open flame. 535 00:28:48,811 --> 00:28:50,021 -Amazing. How's it going? 536 00:28:50,104 --> 00:28:52,106 -Zac. Nice to meet you. -Hey, chef. 537 00:28:52,190 --> 00:28:54,609 -Darin. Pleasure. -Welcome to the outdoor kitchen. 538 00:28:54,692 --> 00:28:57,361 -Oh wow! Look at this setup! -This is incredible. 539 00:28:58,112 --> 00:29:00,990 I've been burning this for a couple of hours. 540 00:29:01,073 --> 00:29:02,325 This is the ember stage. 541 00:29:02,408 --> 00:29:06,037 That's the thing about fire, you have to always preempt it. 542 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:08,748 Every day starts, the first thing a chef does 543 00:29:08,831 --> 00:29:11,042 is light a fire and go from there. 544 00:29:11,125 --> 00:29:14,420 And then the different types of wood here 545 00:29:14,504 --> 00:29:17,298 give you different scenarios for the fire and the heat? 546 00:29:17,381 --> 00:29:19,842 Yeah, you'll see variances in the wood, 547 00:29:19,926 --> 00:29:23,346 whether it's fruit trees, or whether it's really intense. 548 00:29:23,429 --> 00:29:27,642 The base we use is a type of red gum which is called ironbark, 549 00:29:27,725 --> 00:29:31,145 which is really dense. One of the densest woods in the world. 550 00:29:31,229 --> 00:29:35,817 -Wow. Feel that. It's like a brick. -Yeah. It's almost petrified. 551 00:29:35,900 --> 00:29:37,985 Yeah, so harder to light, 552 00:29:38,069 --> 00:29:41,072 but really intense heat for a long period of time, 553 00:29:41,155 --> 00:29:44,492 which is obviously really different from any of this driftwood 554 00:29:44,575 --> 00:29:47,078 when you're out on the beach. Super light. 555 00:29:47,161 --> 00:29:48,830 It's just understanding, 556 00:29:48,913 --> 00:29:51,457 A, the form of heat and what each wood gives you, 557 00:29:51,541 --> 00:29:54,502 but also the flavor profile, the characteristic of the wood, 558 00:29:54,585 --> 00:29:56,003 the smell, the aromacy. 559 00:29:56,087 --> 00:29:58,256 When did you lock on to fire? 560 00:29:58,339 --> 00:30:02,635 For me, I think all of us have early memories as kids, 561 00:30:02,718 --> 00:30:05,513 cooking with fire, campfires, 562 00:30:05,596 --> 00:30:08,349 bringing people together for a celebration. 563 00:30:08,432 --> 00:30:12,019 But as a chef, I managed to find a grill restaurant 564 00:30:12,103 --> 00:30:16,065 in the Basque Mountains many years ago, like 15, 16 years ago. 565 00:30:16,148 --> 00:30:17,984 -Where's that? -In the north of Spain. 566 00:30:18,067 --> 00:30:18,901 -Wow. -Yeah. 567 00:30:18,985 --> 00:30:21,737 Grilling is part of the Basque tradition. 568 00:30:21,821 --> 00:30:25,616 All around the world, you find pockets of traditional cultures. 569 00:30:25,700 --> 00:30:27,952 The bastions, the guardians of their tradition, 570 00:30:28,035 --> 00:30:31,789 hanging on to it as much as possible because it's part of the culture, 571 00:30:31,873 --> 00:30:33,207 it's what makes us us. 572 00:30:33,291 --> 00:30:34,792 Did you cook with them there? 573 00:30:34,876 --> 00:30:38,212 I went there for a year, fell in love with the style, 574 00:30:38,296 --> 00:30:40,047 and spent the next five years there 575 00:30:40,131 --> 00:30:44,260 just absorbing, learning, increasing my knowledge as much as possible. 576 00:30:44,343 --> 00:30:46,429 Most of it through experimentation. 577 00:30:46,512 --> 00:30:48,931 Cooking outdoors is so primal. 578 00:30:49,015 --> 00:30:51,559 You gotta understand, you yourself are an ingredient, 579 00:30:51,642 --> 00:30:55,062 an integral part of the process. This is an interactive sport. 580 00:30:55,146 --> 00:30:57,231 I love that, what you just said. 581 00:30:57,315 --> 00:31:00,234 You are an ingredient to this whole process. 582 00:31:00,318 --> 00:31:02,111 -That's cool. -Yeah. 583 00:31:02,194 --> 00:31:04,030 We got some beautiful school prawns. 584 00:31:04,572 --> 00:31:06,824 So again, that idea of "shrimp on the barbie." 585 00:31:06,908 --> 00:31:07,742 Cool. 586 00:31:07,825 --> 00:31:12,622 So really small school prawns, locally harvested just up the river. 587 00:31:12,705 --> 00:31:16,000 I'll use a mist of oil. So, we use a grape-seed oil. 588 00:31:16,083 --> 00:31:18,294 Neutral flavor, high temperature. 589 00:31:18,377 --> 00:31:21,422 You're just giving exactly what it needs. 590 00:31:21,505 --> 00:31:24,175 You're not brushing with olive oil, not tossing in olive oil. 591 00:31:24,258 --> 00:31:26,886 If you do that-- I don't know if you barbecue, 592 00:31:26,969 --> 00:31:28,804 but I've had people come to me, 593 00:31:28,888 --> 00:31:31,891 "Everything's engulfed in flames." They'll brush it with olive oil. 594 00:31:31,974 --> 00:31:33,643 -That's my experience. -Exactly. 595 00:31:33,726 --> 00:31:36,562 Suddenly it's flare-up, and then, "Oh my God!" 596 00:31:36,646 --> 00:31:40,524 It's fire, everyone panics. "What's happening?" It's crazy. 597 00:31:41,359 --> 00:31:44,987 Got a bit of chili and garlic there, got some sea purslane. 598 00:31:45,071 --> 00:31:48,324 The beautiful thing is, the more you do it, the more you learn. 599 00:31:48,407 --> 00:31:51,077 I do it because it brings me in close contact with the ingredients, 600 00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:53,704 but I also do it because every day is different. 601 00:31:53,788 --> 00:31:56,707 Once this is up to heat, you'll have these pipis. 602 00:31:58,376 --> 00:32:01,295 Beautiful. What's the difference between a pipi… 603 00:32:01,379 --> 00:32:04,298 -A pipi? -…and other shellfish? 604 00:32:04,382 --> 00:32:07,551 When I first came to Australia, I was living on the east coast 605 00:32:07,635 --> 00:32:09,595 and used to do the pipi shuffle in the sand. 606 00:32:09,679 --> 00:32:12,098 I found a few of those accidentally. 607 00:32:12,181 --> 00:32:14,475 A pipi just pops up between your toes. 608 00:32:14,558 --> 00:32:16,268 It's that misconception of-- 609 00:32:16,352 --> 00:32:20,106 Pipis became essentially baitfish, weren't a food staple. 610 00:32:20,606 --> 00:32:25,111 If you go back to Indigenous culture, it's just something they eat. 611 00:32:25,194 --> 00:32:28,364 If you look at the middens dating back 60,000 years, 612 00:32:28,447 --> 00:32:31,701 alongside oysters, you'll find pipi shells. 613 00:32:31,784 --> 00:32:34,078 -Wow. -That's a beautiful food source. 614 00:32:35,913 --> 00:32:37,581 And this beautiful garlic. 615 00:32:40,626 --> 00:32:43,587 Oh my God. I'm so stoked. This is so good. 616 00:32:43,671 --> 00:32:47,550 You just bring that all together. That flavor of the wood smoke, 617 00:32:47,633 --> 00:32:52,388 and the vegetable, the school prawn. Little bit of garlic, bring it together. 618 00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:56,851 -Salt's perfect. -Whole thing, head and all. 619 00:32:59,103 --> 00:33:01,647 -Sweet. Nutty. -Oh my gosh. 620 00:33:06,360 --> 00:33:08,237 You see these pipis is open. 621 00:33:09,780 --> 00:33:11,532 They got their tongues out, look. 622 00:33:14,994 --> 00:33:17,455 You want to capture them, their juices, 623 00:33:17,538 --> 00:33:19,832 that makes for a really good sauce. 624 00:33:19,915 --> 00:33:22,460 Do you use butter or anything like that? 625 00:33:22,543 --> 00:33:26,255 No, I don't. It's something I don't cook with anymore. 626 00:33:26,338 --> 00:33:28,007 -Really? At all? -Yeah. 627 00:33:28,090 --> 00:33:32,678 I found that with fire, it was masking the natural flavor of the ingredients. 628 00:33:32,762 --> 00:33:35,097 -Oh wow. -Which is far more-- 629 00:33:35,181 --> 00:33:37,641 Those flavor profiles are more accentuated 630 00:33:37,725 --> 00:33:40,644 by fruity flavors from different types of olive oil. 631 00:33:41,228 --> 00:33:42,146 Hmm. 632 00:33:42,229 --> 00:33:44,398 Now, I've gotta cook for my vegan friend. 633 00:33:46,233 --> 00:33:49,570 -How do you feel about grilled lettuce? -Let's do it. 634 00:33:49,653 --> 00:33:51,197 -Yeah? Awesome. -Yeah. 635 00:33:51,280 --> 00:33:53,365 Never had grilled lettuce. Have you? 636 00:33:54,033 --> 00:33:56,494 -Zac, you gonna try one of these? -Yes, please. 637 00:34:00,039 --> 00:34:02,333 Oh, it's perfect. That's everything. 638 00:34:02,917 --> 00:34:05,377 When you put it in your mouth, you think, "Oh my God." 639 00:34:05,461 --> 00:34:09,090 "What magic is this?" It's just the art of cooking with fire. 640 00:34:10,925 --> 00:34:12,426 This is it. Are you stoked? 641 00:34:12,510 --> 00:34:15,304 I bet this will be the most unbelievable chunk of lettuce 642 00:34:15,387 --> 00:34:16,639 you've ever had. 643 00:34:18,349 --> 00:34:20,893 Came all the way to Australia for grilled lettuce. 644 00:34:20,976 --> 00:34:25,314 This is really nice. Normally, if we were to have a food segment, 645 00:34:25,397 --> 00:34:29,026 nobody would cook for Darin. He just watches me eat. 646 00:34:29,110 --> 00:34:32,988 -You've gotta cook-- -He quietly waits. It's nice of you. 647 00:34:33,072 --> 00:34:34,949 -You have to cook for everyone. -Yeah. 648 00:34:36,242 --> 00:34:39,286 -Nobody's left out by the fire. -Oh, thank you. 649 00:34:39,370 --> 00:34:41,247 Look at that. Wow. 650 00:34:41,330 --> 00:34:43,082 -Wow! -Cool. 651 00:34:43,165 --> 00:34:45,626 -Wow! -That's a beautiful dish. 652 00:34:45,709 --> 00:34:46,752 See you later. 653 00:34:48,504 --> 00:34:50,881 He wasn't joking when he said no one was left out. 654 00:34:50,965 --> 00:34:53,342 Oh, it's perfect. That's everything. 655 00:34:54,593 --> 00:34:58,013 The last dish Chef Lennox prepares hearkens back to his early days 656 00:34:58,097 --> 00:35:02,351 working at a Michelin star restaurant in Northern Spain, paella. 657 00:35:02,852 --> 00:35:05,604 And in case Darin wasn't filled up by that lettuce, 658 00:35:05,688 --> 00:35:07,815 this will be a vegan dish. 659 00:35:12,695 --> 00:35:16,615 Chef Hastie's animal-free twist on this traditional Spanish meal 660 00:35:16,699 --> 00:35:18,993 is perfect for feeding a large gathering, 661 00:35:19,076 --> 00:35:21,412 especially one that's been filming all day. 662 00:35:21,495 --> 00:35:24,874 As the sun goes down, the fire becomes more communal… 663 00:35:26,667 --> 00:35:29,044 providing light and warmth to our group. 664 00:35:30,087 --> 00:35:33,799 After seeing all of the ravages and destruction brought about by fire… 665 00:35:37,303 --> 00:35:41,390 it's good to see the primal comfort that comes along with these open flames. 666 00:35:46,145 --> 00:35:49,732 Like all aspects of nature, this powerful element 667 00:35:49,815 --> 00:35:52,776 is just another to be treated with understanding, 668 00:35:52,860 --> 00:35:55,738 appreciation, and respect.