1
00:00:11,137 --> 00:00:12,597
[Zac] 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
[Zac] 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
[Zac] At its worst, the destructive power
can be devastating and deadly.
15
00:00:51,469 --> 00:00:53,304
[woman] This is where our house was.
16
00:00:54,097 --> 00:00:56,516
[Zac] But when managed
and controlled properly,
17
00:00:57,016 --> 00:00:59,602
it's one of mankind's
greatest discoveries.
18
00:01:00,436 --> 00:01:02,313
[dramatic music playing]
19
00:01:08,694 --> 00:01:12,240
[Zac] Our story of fire begins
off the coast of South Australia,
20
00:01:12,323 --> 00:01:15,326
where we take a quick boat ride
to reach our destination.
21
00:01:15,993 --> 00:01:20,832
A 1,700-square-mile land mass
called Kangaroo Island.
22
00:01:21,791 --> 00:01:23,918
In December of 2019,
23
00:01:24,001 --> 00:01:27,755
lightning storms during the hottest,
driest time of the year
24
00:01:27,839 --> 00:01:31,717
ignited the largest bushfires
in the history of the island.
25
00:01:31,801 --> 00:01:36,097
And just like that,
46% of Kangaroo Island was burned.
26
00:01:36,180 --> 00:01:38,683
Mother Nature works without a conscience,
27
00:01:39,350 --> 00:01:42,311
and the diverse wildlife population
on this island
28
00:01:42,812 --> 00:01:46,482
was decimated in the smoke and flames.
29
00:01:46,566 --> 00:01:47,859
Sam and Dana Mitchell
30
00:01:47,942 --> 00:01:51,696
are the owners and operators
of Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park,
31
00:01:51,779 --> 00:01:53,489
and in the face of the fires,
32
00:01:53,573 --> 00:01:58,202
these two, along with their employees
and other locals, became instant heroes
33
00:01:58,286 --> 00:02:02,999
as they began the task of rescuing
any and all animals displaced or injured.
34
00:02:03,082 --> 00:02:05,668
Two months now since the fires first hit.
35
00:02:05,751 --> 00:02:09,505
Since then, we've seen
just under 600 animals
36
00:02:09,589 --> 00:02:12,884
come through the doors, about 95% koalas.
37
00:02:13,426 --> 00:02:16,179
[Zac] Sam took us for a ride
in their rescue vehicle
38
00:02:16,262 --> 00:02:20,349
so we could grasp just how extensive
the fire damage was to the land.
39
00:02:20,433 --> 00:02:23,436
[Sam] So you can see
this obviously had all burned.
40
00:02:23,519 --> 00:02:25,271
-[Zac] All that's new growth?
-[Sam] Yeah.
41
00:02:25,354 --> 00:02:28,232
Nothing that wasn't native
survived the fires,
42
00:02:28,316 --> 00:02:31,485
but the Australian bush
has dealt with it before.
43
00:02:31,569 --> 00:02:33,446
[Darin] Yeah, it's made for it.
44
00:02:35,907 --> 00:02:38,826
Yeah, this was a big fire.
45
00:02:40,620 --> 00:02:41,495
Wow.
46
00:02:47,251 --> 00:02:50,963
[Sam] Every direction here is burned.
There's a patch beyond us that's not.
47
00:02:51,047 --> 00:02:52,173
Jeez.
48
00:02:52,256 --> 00:02:53,841
[somber music playing]
49
00:02:59,555 --> 00:03:00,389
Jeez!
50
00:03:09,148 --> 00:03:12,401
It's really hard to explain
the speed that it moved in.
51
00:03:12,485 --> 00:03:14,654
You can see burnt-out areas,
52
00:03:14,737 --> 00:03:17,198
but you drive 100 km west
and everything's burned,
53
00:03:17,281 --> 00:03:18,950
and that all happened overnight,
54
00:03:19,033 --> 00:03:22,662
you just gotta think how quick
this thing was really moving.
55
00:03:23,871 --> 00:03:27,625
It was quite hard to see when the smoke
and ash was coming at you.
56
00:03:27,708 --> 00:03:30,044
Even wearing goggles,
your eyes were burning.
57
00:03:32,129 --> 00:03:35,091
Now, we've gone through one winter
since the fire,
58
00:03:35,174 --> 00:03:36,801
so the paddock's greened up.
59
00:03:37,510 --> 00:03:40,930
Every bit of grass-- Everything was black.
60
00:03:41,013 --> 00:03:42,640
It was just ash, black.
61
00:03:42,723 --> 00:03:45,268
The ground here,
you wouldn't see red, just ash.
62
00:03:45,351 --> 00:03:50,564
[Darin] It's almost to a point where
you don't even believe it could come back.
63
00:03:50,648 --> 00:03:51,524
[Sam] No.
64
00:03:51,607 --> 00:03:54,902
We would go out here and check a carcass.
65
00:03:54,986 --> 00:03:58,281
You'd roll it over
and wouldn't see a fly, ant, or bug.
66
00:03:58,364 --> 00:04:01,867
You'd just think it was everything.
Um, everything suffered.
67
00:04:03,828 --> 00:04:07,581
And it's gonna take many years
for anything to move back in.
68
00:04:11,627 --> 00:04:15,047
Even a year on,
it's still a lot of work to be done.
69
00:04:16,132 --> 00:04:19,635
[Zac] The damage and destruction
goes as far as the eye can see
70
00:04:19,719 --> 00:04:21,470
and in every direction.
71
00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:26,851
After rescuing whatever animals survived,
72
00:04:27,435 --> 00:04:30,771
the next step was to bring them
to the center for rehabilitation.
73
00:04:31,772 --> 00:04:35,401
[Sam] Well over a year now,
and we still got 20-odd koalas
74
00:04:35,484 --> 00:04:38,154
from the bushfires
living here at the park.
75
00:04:38,738 --> 00:04:42,241
-It was well over 600, wasn't it? 650.
-Yeah, over 650.
76
00:04:42,325 --> 00:04:43,242
Really?
77
00:04:43,326 --> 00:04:46,579
In a short period of time,
and we've released about 250.
78
00:04:46,662 --> 00:04:49,707
But, unfortunately,
the rest didn't make it.
79
00:04:50,291 --> 00:04:52,376
So of that 600, only 250 were--
80
00:04:52,460 --> 00:04:54,295
Yeah, yeah.
81
00:04:54,962 --> 00:04:57,340
We weren't built to be a rescue center.
82
00:04:57,423 --> 00:04:59,675
We were a tourism destination.
83
00:04:59,759 --> 00:05:03,763
We did rescue and rehabilitate
some koalas and kangaroos each year.
84
00:05:04,347 --> 00:05:09,393
When the fires hit,
it went from a few each year to 600
85
00:05:09,477 --> 00:05:11,020
in just the two months.
86
00:05:11,103 --> 00:05:13,356
-The population was booming over here.
-Wow.
87
00:05:13,439 --> 00:05:17,318
It was estimated somewhere
between 50 to 60,000 koalas.
88
00:05:17,401 --> 00:05:20,529
Now, somewhere between five
and 10,000 koalas left,
89
00:05:20,613 --> 00:05:23,199
so about 80% of that population lost.
90
00:05:23,282 --> 00:05:24,116
Oh my gosh.
91
00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:26,243
-[Dana] Insane.
-And kangaroos and reptiles…
92
00:05:26,327 --> 00:05:31,290
Yeah, the reason we saw
the most koalas out of any other species
93
00:05:31,374 --> 00:05:33,959
was they're the only animal
that didn't have a chance to get away.
94
00:05:34,043 --> 00:05:37,922
The goannas and the snakes
can go somewhere underground.
95
00:05:38,005 --> 00:05:41,092
The birds can fly away, the kangaroos
have a chance to hop away,
96
00:05:41,175 --> 00:05:44,136
whereas the koalas are
at the top of big trees.
97
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.
98
00:05:48,808 --> 00:05:51,936
The very first few weeks
was probably the hardest
99
00:05:52,019 --> 00:05:54,605
because we'd have animals come in
100
00:05:54,688 --> 00:05:58,192
where their fingers
or their hands would be burnt off.
101
00:05:58,275 --> 00:05:59,193
Oh, jeez.
102
00:05:59,276 --> 00:06:04,657
We found kangaroos that had stubs
for legs two weeks after the fires,
103
00:06:04,740 --> 00:06:06,325
still feeding their joeys.
104
00:06:06,409 --> 00:06:09,120
That's amazing.
You guys were thrust into greatness.
105
00:06:09,203 --> 00:06:10,996
-Yeah.
-Yeah, kept us busy.
106
00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:14,041
[Dana] We have somebody for you to meet.
This is Mickey.
107
00:06:14,125 --> 00:06:17,169
Mickey's one of our keepers… [laughs]
…here at the park.
108
00:06:17,253 --> 00:06:19,964
-On her shoulder, she's got Pearl.
-Oh my God.
109
00:06:20,047 --> 00:06:23,175
So Pearl is one
of our little bushfire rescues.
110
00:06:23,259 --> 00:06:24,885
As you can see, she's very cuddly.
111
00:06:24,969 --> 00:06:27,555
She's probably
one of the remaining ones who--
112
00:06:27,638 --> 00:06:29,140
You're welcome to pet her.
113
00:06:29,223 --> 00:06:30,182
[Zac] I would!
114
00:06:30,266 --> 00:06:34,520
[Dana] She's one of the koalas remaining
that was one of the most burnt
115
00:06:34,603 --> 00:06:35,563
out of the joeys.
116
00:06:35,646 --> 00:06:36,772
Right here. I can see.
117
00:06:36,856 --> 00:06:39,775
All four of her paws,
right across her ears.
118
00:06:39,859 --> 00:06:42,820
Mickey did a lot of work with me
throughout the fires
119
00:06:42,903 --> 00:06:46,365
looking after the joeys,
bottle-feeding them and all that.
120
00:06:46,449 --> 00:06:49,785
Pearl's definitely one
of our special little girls.
121
00:06:49,869 --> 00:06:53,456
[Zac] Who's a good koala bear? You are.
122
00:06:53,539 --> 00:06:55,249
Oh yeah!
123
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.
124
00:06:59,753 --> 00:07:01,839
Really? Always trying to stay cool?
125
00:07:01,922 --> 00:07:05,176
We'll head inside,
and we can go say hello to Pearl in there.
126
00:07:05,259 --> 00:07:07,386
-Hi, sweet thing.
-What do you think?
127
00:07:07,470 --> 00:07:09,180
-Gosh, they're so cool.
-Yeah.
128
00:07:09,263 --> 00:07:12,683
We'll head over this way,
inside where it's not so hot.
129
00:07:12,766 --> 00:07:14,643
[Zac] So she's five kilos, you think?
130
00:07:14,727 --> 00:07:16,312
-Roughly five.
-[Dana] Just under five.
131
00:07:16,395 --> 00:07:19,356
-Up to 15, the males?
-Yeah. We got a big boy here.
132
00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:23,360
I'll show you, and he's only 11,
but he's an impressive lump.
133
00:07:23,444 --> 00:07:24,403
Wow.
134
00:07:24,487 --> 00:07:28,157
Watch your feet.
There's kangaroo joeys running around.
135
00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:30,743
-[Zac] "Impressive lump" just like you.
-Thank you.
136
00:07:30,826 --> 00:07:33,204
[Zac] This is the moment
we've been waiting for.
137
00:07:33,287 --> 00:07:37,833
We're in Australia on Kangaroo Island,
about to see kangaroos.
138
00:07:37,917 --> 00:07:41,420
Inside here is where
all of the rehabilitation happens.
139
00:07:41,504 --> 00:07:43,130
-Oh my God.
-Wow.
140
00:07:43,756 --> 00:07:47,092
-Hi. I didn't know you guys laid down.
-[Darin] Can I go up to 'em?
141
00:07:47,176 --> 00:07:50,179
[Dana] Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
Sam's got some milk for them.
142
00:07:50,262 --> 00:07:52,056
[Zac] I've never seen you
lay down before.
143
00:07:52,139 --> 00:07:53,599
-[Darin] Hi.
-[Zac gasps]
144
00:07:53,682 --> 00:07:54,934
Oh hi, buddy!
145
00:07:55,017 --> 00:07:57,561
[Sam] Yeah,
this little girl come in yesterday.
146
00:07:57,645 --> 00:07:58,729
[Zac] Hi, sweetheart.
147
00:07:59,813 --> 00:08:02,107
-[Sam] She's not in a great way.
-[Zac] Oh.
148
00:08:03,150 --> 00:08:05,402
[Sam] And little Grace behind us here.
149
00:08:05,486 --> 00:08:06,612
Hi, baby.
150
00:08:06,695 --> 00:08:09,323
[Sam] Beautiful little girl.
She's quite adventurous.
151
00:08:09,406 --> 00:08:11,283
If you want, give these a shake.
152
00:08:11,367 --> 00:08:14,328
That one is for the smaller kangaroo
behind you.
153
00:08:14,411 --> 00:08:17,373
-This one is for the larger kangaroo.
-[Zac] Here you go. [kissing]
154
00:08:17,456 --> 00:08:18,666
[Sam] Yeah, just…
155
00:08:18,749 --> 00:08:20,334
-Hi, boo boo.
-[kisses]
156
00:08:20,417 --> 00:08:22,211
[Sam] They get a little bit distracted.
157
00:08:22,294 --> 00:08:24,213
[Dana] Like,
"I know someone else has my bottle."
158
00:08:24,296 --> 00:08:29,134
This is like the definition of dangling
a carrot. Come here, check it out.
159
00:08:29,218 --> 00:08:32,096
[Dana] Both of these girls came in
from road accidents.
160
00:08:32,179 --> 00:08:34,765
Both mums were unfortunately hit
and killed on the roads,
161
00:08:34,848 --> 00:08:39,186
but luckily, when they are hit,
the joey in the pouch is quite protected.
162
00:08:39,770 --> 00:08:42,356
Look at you, perfect balance.
Your tail, you're cheating.
163
00:08:42,439 --> 00:08:43,983
I can hear his digestion.
164
00:08:44,483 --> 00:08:46,151
-[Dana] Drinking it?
-His stomach.
165
00:08:47,778 --> 00:08:52,283
[Zac] It should be noted baby koalas
and baby kangaroos are called joeys.
166
00:08:52,366 --> 00:08:55,369
In fact, all marsupial babies
are called joeys.
167
00:08:55,953 --> 00:08:57,705
[Dana] These girls are ready to go to bed.
168
00:08:57,788 --> 00:09:00,541
If you hold the bag,
they should hopefully slip into it.
169
00:09:00,624 --> 00:09:02,501
Jerry's already lying down.
170
00:09:02,585 --> 00:09:05,379
Just hold it out and open,
they should slip in,
171
00:09:05,462 --> 00:09:08,132
ready to go to bed,
and we can hang them up behind us.
172
00:09:08,632 --> 00:09:09,717
Wanna go in here?
173
00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:10,884
Come on. Come here.
174
00:09:11,510 --> 00:09:12,636
Go on.
175
00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:15,139
[Dana] Maybe. No. [chuckles]
176
00:09:15,806 --> 00:09:19,435
So this little--
She's gonna think this is like…
177
00:09:19,518 --> 00:09:21,270
-There we go.
-…the pouch?
178
00:09:21,353 --> 00:09:25,566
[Dana] The pouch is an artificial bag
for them to think they're in mum's pouch.
179
00:09:25,649 --> 00:09:28,319
[Sam] You gotta shuffle 'em in
a little bit. Yeah.
180
00:09:28,402 --> 00:09:29,653
[Darin laughs]
181
00:09:29,737 --> 00:09:32,531
Look what I got. She's looking to go.
182
00:09:32,615 --> 00:09:35,868
-[Dana] She's ready. She's primed now.
-[Zac] Wanna come in here?
183
00:09:36,785 --> 00:09:38,454
Nope. Uh, guess not.
184
00:09:39,580 --> 00:09:40,414
Denied.
185
00:09:41,165 --> 00:09:43,083
-Wild animals. [chuckles]
-[Dana] Yeah.
186
00:09:43,167 --> 00:09:44,126
What a trip.
187
00:09:44,209 --> 00:09:46,629
Well, Darin is indeed the Joey Whisperer.
188
00:09:46,712 --> 00:09:48,547
[ethereal music playing]
189
00:09:51,550 --> 00:09:53,469
[Zac] Wildfires are going to happen.
190
00:09:53,552 --> 00:09:55,804
It isn't about planning
for the unexpected,
191
00:09:55,888 --> 00:09:57,848
it's about planning for the inevitable.
192
00:09:57,931 --> 00:09:59,892
And because of climate change,
193
00:09:59,975 --> 00:10:02,436
each summer, the fires are getting bigger
194
00:10:02,519 --> 00:10:04,021
and spreading faster.
195
00:10:04,104 --> 00:10:08,776
Sam, Dana, and others in the area
are pushing for a better infrastructure
196
00:10:08,859 --> 00:10:10,319
to deal with the future.
197
00:10:10,402 --> 00:10:14,615
Koalas and kangaroos are the majority
of the animals rescued here.
198
00:10:14,698 --> 00:10:18,661
Because they're cute and cuddly,
people are more motivated to save them.
199
00:10:18,744 --> 00:10:22,706
However, charitable donations
are used to help any and all creatures
200
00:10:22,790 --> 00:10:25,209
they're equipped to rescue
and rehabilitate here.
201
00:10:25,292 --> 00:10:27,711
-That includes this guy.
-[Sam] Yordi.
202
00:10:28,295 --> 00:10:29,630
Hey Zac, nice to meet you.
203
00:10:29,713 --> 00:10:32,132
-How are you? Darin.
-Darin, nice to meet you.
204
00:10:32,216 --> 00:10:33,217
[Darin] Cool.
205
00:10:33,300 --> 00:10:35,511
[Dana] She's about three years old.
She's a baby.
206
00:10:35,594 --> 00:10:36,428
[Zac] Wow.
207
00:10:36,512 --> 00:10:39,014
[Darin] How many reptiles
were you guys getting in?
208
00:10:39,098 --> 00:10:43,185
Well, Australia has been managed
with fire for forever.
209
00:10:43,268 --> 00:10:46,313
The Aboriginal people
used fire to manage this land.
210
00:10:46,397 --> 00:10:50,401
Some plants here are fire-resistant.
Without fire, they don't flower or seed.
211
00:10:50,484 --> 00:10:53,028
So, these animals have grown up with fire.
212
00:10:53,112 --> 00:10:56,824
Some animals, like black kites,
use fire to their advantage.
213
00:10:56,907 --> 00:10:59,660
When a black kite sees smoke,
he'll cook over there.
214
00:10:59,743 --> 00:11:02,413
He knows there's
cooked lizards and snakes.
215
00:11:02,496 --> 00:11:05,624
He doesn't have to hunt.
He can just go have a barbecue.
216
00:11:05,708 --> 00:11:07,251
-[Zac] Wow.
-[Yordi] Look at that.
217
00:11:07,334 --> 00:11:08,210
[Darin] Wow.
218
00:11:08,293 --> 00:11:09,628
[laughing]
219
00:11:09,712 --> 00:11:14,508
Ready for my close-up?
Check that out. Look at your reflection.
220
00:11:14,591 --> 00:11:15,843
[chuckling]
221
00:11:15,926 --> 00:11:18,429
-[Sam] Hasn't bitten anyone this week, so…
-[Yordi] Yeah.
222
00:11:19,012 --> 00:11:21,849
-Cool, all right. Wow.
-Awesome stuff, man.
223
00:11:21,932 --> 00:11:23,767
-Good on you.
-Thank you. Awesome.
224
00:11:23,851 --> 00:11:25,978
-Cheers, man. Thank you.
-Bloody oath.
225
00:11:27,146 --> 00:11:31,275
[Zac] As heartbreaking as it is to witness
this aftermath of the wildfire damage,
226
00:11:31,358 --> 00:11:33,944
it's uplifting to see
this community come together
227
00:11:34,027 --> 00:11:37,072
to save so much of the wildlife
on Kangaroo Island.
228
00:11:38,365 --> 00:11:41,118
You know how you call tell
if a kangaroo is male or female?
229
00:11:41,201 --> 00:11:42,870
Females have a pouch.
230
00:11:44,121 --> 00:11:47,666
Whoa! I'm no expert,
but I believe that is a male kangaroo.
231
00:11:50,377 --> 00:11:52,421
The Black Summer is the name given
232
00:11:52,504 --> 00:11:56,800
to the Australian bushfire season
of 2019 through 2020.
233
00:11:58,010 --> 00:12:02,556
Hundreds of fires burned down
46 million acres of land.
234
00:12:02,639 --> 00:12:08,061
That's 20% of the country's forests,
and thousands of buildings and homes.
235
00:12:08,145 --> 00:12:12,441
It was the most devastating
wildfire season on record for the country,
236
00:12:13,025 --> 00:12:17,196
all costing
an estimated $103 billion in damage.
237
00:12:17,279 --> 00:12:21,700
We're here to meet a family
that lost their home, farmland, livestock.
238
00:12:21,784 --> 00:12:24,119
Everything burned down to the ground.
239
00:12:24,203 --> 00:12:27,956
But despite all of the loss
felt by Tom and Stephanie Wurst,
240
00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:30,375
they have a message of hope and positivity
241
00:12:30,459 --> 00:12:32,461
as they slowly rebuild their lives
242
00:12:32,544 --> 00:12:35,047
and a better future
for their three children.
243
00:12:35,130 --> 00:12:36,799
Hi, Steph. Nice to meet you.
244
00:12:36,882 --> 00:12:39,092
[Stephanie] This is where our house was.
245
00:12:40,177 --> 00:12:41,178
In here.
246
00:12:42,471 --> 00:12:47,518
It was built in the 1950s,
so, yeah, it was about 70 years old.
247
00:12:47,601 --> 00:12:50,896
And we'd just finished renovating it,
actually, so…
248
00:12:50,979 --> 00:12:52,898
-Oh no.
-Oh, you just--
249
00:12:52,981 --> 00:12:53,816
-Really?
-Yeah.
250
00:12:53,899 --> 00:12:56,109
[Tom] Just had it to where we wanted it.
251
00:12:56,193 --> 00:12:59,321
[Stephanie] So,
the fire came through on January 3rd,
252
00:12:59,404 --> 00:13:03,075
and we weren't expecting it at all
to come this far.
253
00:13:03,158 --> 00:13:06,829
But I think that was my fourth time
that I had evacuated,
254
00:13:06,912 --> 00:13:10,624
and so I probably didn't pack
as much as I should have.
255
00:13:10,707 --> 00:13:12,459
-[Darin] It's funny that way.
-Yeah.
256
00:13:12,543 --> 00:13:16,588
It just doesn't-- What's essential?
Your kids and a couple things.
257
00:13:16,672 --> 00:13:17,756
[Tom] That's right.
258
00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:22,094
At the end of the day,
as long as people are safe, then…
259
00:13:22,177 --> 00:13:23,011
Right.
260
00:13:23,095 --> 00:13:25,264
…that's the biggest thing in my mind.
261
00:13:25,889 --> 00:13:27,391
I don't know if you guys know,
262
00:13:27,474 --> 00:13:32,771
but I share the misery
and the challenge of that.
263
00:13:32,855 --> 00:13:36,733
I lost-- At the end
of our first season, I lost everything.
264
00:13:36,817 --> 00:13:38,360
It's hard to deal with.
265
00:13:38,443 --> 00:13:39,820
Initially, it was so shocking,
266
00:13:39,903 --> 00:13:43,699
there was not one thing left on the whole
property from all our whole farm,
267
00:13:43,782 --> 00:13:45,325
all the planting equipment.
268
00:13:45,409 --> 00:13:47,911
There wasn't even a hammer, not one thing.
269
00:13:48,912 --> 00:13:53,917
Livestock, to me, was the hardest part.
We lost a lot of livestock.
270
00:13:54,001 --> 00:13:57,838
I think up to 60,000 head of livestock,
which were incinerated.
271
00:13:57,921 --> 00:13:59,965
-60,000? Oh my God.
-Jeez.
272
00:14:00,048 --> 00:14:02,301
I think that's an underestimate,
273
00:14:02,384 --> 00:14:05,304
but just seeing
the livestock which suffered,
274
00:14:05,387 --> 00:14:08,348
and having to try
to deal with that as well, like…
275
00:14:08,432 --> 00:14:12,978
But the community has been amazing.
The amount of the help that just turned up
276
00:14:13,061 --> 00:14:16,815
within those first few days
was just incredible.
277
00:14:16,899 --> 00:14:18,400
Like, it's quite humbling.
278
00:14:19,067 --> 00:14:23,113
I feel like, "Can we ever repay
everyone in the world?"
279
00:14:23,196 --> 00:14:26,950
People from around the world
have done so much for us.
280
00:14:27,034 --> 00:14:29,828
Sometimes I felt like it was a warm hug
coming around us
281
00:14:29,912 --> 00:14:31,580
of everyone around the community.
282
00:14:31,663 --> 00:14:34,458
[Zac] The community helped
Tom and Stephanie immensely
283
00:14:34,541 --> 00:14:36,793
as they slowly got back on their feet.
284
00:14:37,377 --> 00:14:40,380
And Stephanie soon became
a voice for the landowners
285
00:14:40,464 --> 00:14:42,424
who had suffered similar losses.
286
00:14:42,507 --> 00:14:45,761
Stephanie even testified
before an Australian Senate Committee
287
00:14:45,844 --> 00:14:49,181
to champion the use
of Indigenous fire management practices
288
00:14:49,264 --> 00:14:51,475
and other wildlife conservation
and protections.
289
00:14:51,558 --> 00:14:54,686
It was a really logistical nightmare
'cause everyone had lost
290
00:14:54,770 --> 00:14:57,272
most of their planting equipment
in the fires,
291
00:14:57,356 --> 00:15:02,027
so there wasn't much equipment
to help with anything
292
00:15:02,110 --> 00:15:03,946
around the whole farm property.
293
00:15:04,029 --> 00:15:07,658
What was the plan with the cattle?
Were you able to save any?
294
00:15:07,741 --> 00:15:11,203
Yeah, yeah, we probably lost
a bit over half the livestock.
295
00:15:11,286 --> 00:15:15,582
Some luckily found pockets of land
and were saved.
296
00:15:15,666 --> 00:15:20,379
But, yeah, dealing with them
afterwards was really hard,
297
00:15:20,462 --> 00:15:24,758
'cause all the fences are burned,
there's just livestock going everywhere.
298
00:15:24,841 --> 00:15:27,678
There was no feed,
which was the biggest concern.
299
00:15:27,761 --> 00:15:32,349
There was obviously no pasture, no hay.
We lost our crops, the hay, everything,
300
00:15:32,432 --> 00:15:35,769
so there was no feed for what we had left.
301
00:15:35,852 --> 00:15:40,440
Do you feel like it's bonded you two
and the family together even more?
302
00:15:40,983 --> 00:15:44,444
Yeah. Uh, there's definitely been
ups and downs, though.
303
00:15:44,528 --> 00:15:47,447
-Hasn't there, Jack? [laughs]
-[Darin] Yeah. For sure.
304
00:15:47,531 --> 00:15:50,951
-Not all downs.
-It's not all easy, at all.
305
00:15:51,034 --> 00:15:53,745
Um, there's been some really hard times,
hasn't there?
306
00:15:53,829 --> 00:15:55,455
There's also been some very good times.
307
00:15:55,539 --> 00:15:57,916
Yeah,
there's been some really good times too.
308
00:15:59,668 --> 00:16:01,336
[Zac] Now, it's time for some fun.
309
00:16:01,420 --> 00:16:04,798
Tom and Stephanie's son Jack
will give me a lesson in driving
310
00:16:04,881 --> 00:16:06,883
this big red tractor.
311
00:16:06,967 --> 00:16:08,510
Whoo! Yeah!
312
00:16:08,593 --> 00:16:10,303
[upbeat music playing]
313
00:16:10,387 --> 00:16:12,139
[engine revving]
314
00:16:14,433 --> 00:16:17,185
This is not gonna go well for me. [laughs]
315
00:16:20,397 --> 00:16:21,898
Oh, he's making it look easy.
316
00:16:24,276 --> 00:16:26,028
There's only room for two up here,
317
00:16:26,111 --> 00:16:28,780
so Darin's gonna have to sit this one out.
318
00:16:28,864 --> 00:16:31,908
Yeah, that works. Dirt bike. Perfect.
319
00:16:34,244 --> 00:16:36,121
You jump on and show Zac.
320
00:16:38,248 --> 00:16:41,209
All right. Wow, there's a lot of controls.
321
00:16:41,293 --> 00:16:42,836
[Darin] Hey, good luck, Zac!
322
00:16:44,046 --> 00:16:46,923
-What's the secret? This is my clutch?
-Yep.
323
00:16:47,007 --> 00:16:51,136
So, mostly you want to get--
Push that into forwards.
324
00:16:52,471 --> 00:16:54,681
-Yep.
-Right. Now we're going forward?
325
00:16:56,641 --> 00:16:57,476
Clutch on.
326
00:16:58,060 --> 00:16:59,936
-[Zac] Clutch on?
-[Jack] And up to first.
327
00:17:00,645 --> 00:17:02,355
-[Zac] Clutch on?
-[Jack] And up to first.
328
00:17:02,439 --> 00:17:03,273
[Zac] All right!
329
00:17:03,857 --> 00:17:04,733
Yoo!
330
00:17:06,902 --> 00:17:08,612
Let's see how fast this thing goes.
331
00:17:10,530 --> 00:17:11,698
I think that's fourth.
332
00:17:11,782 --> 00:17:13,283
See you! [laughs]
333
00:17:14,284 --> 00:17:15,577
[Jack grunts]
334
00:17:18,955 --> 00:17:20,123
Make sure you hold on.
335
00:17:28,215 --> 00:17:31,176
Got 'em. All right, thanks, sensei.
336
00:17:31,676 --> 00:17:32,636
[Jack] Back it up.
337
00:17:37,265 --> 00:17:38,391
[Zac] Yee-hoo!
338
00:17:39,142 --> 00:17:40,018
Whoo!
339
00:17:40,519 --> 00:17:41,353
Oh!
340
00:17:48,902 --> 00:17:50,612
Think we ran over something.
341
00:17:55,617 --> 00:17:56,910
Hey!
342
00:17:58,829 --> 00:18:00,080
Hay!
343
00:18:00,163 --> 00:18:01,748
These guys look hungry.
344
00:18:03,208 --> 00:18:04,793
[imitates cow mooing]
345
00:18:05,418 --> 00:18:10,674
Little fact, the average cow eats
about 24 pounds of hay per day.
346
00:18:11,591 --> 00:18:13,260
I'm just throwing that out there.
347
00:18:16,805 --> 00:18:18,056
What a day.
348
00:18:19,599 --> 00:18:20,851
[Jack] They like that.
349
00:18:21,351 --> 00:18:23,395
[Zac] Should we shut this off
while the cows eat?
350
00:18:23,478 --> 00:18:24,563
[Jack] Yeah.
351
00:18:26,398 --> 00:18:27,440
There we go.
352
00:18:27,524 --> 00:18:29,943
This was incredibly satisfying,
353
00:18:30,026 --> 00:18:32,529
and I'm not even talking
about driving the tractor,
354
00:18:32,612 --> 00:18:33,905
although that was pretty cool.
355
00:18:33,989 --> 00:18:36,283
-[cows mooing]
-[imitates cows mooing]
356
00:18:38,034 --> 00:18:41,454
You're Maverick, I'm Goose.
That's from a movie you haven't seen yet,
357
00:18:41,538 --> 00:18:43,874
but you'll love one day, called Top Gun.
358
00:18:44,374 --> 00:18:47,127
A year ago, this family lost everything.
359
00:18:47,210 --> 00:18:50,338
But it was just stuff,
and they always had each other.
360
00:18:50,422 --> 00:18:53,091
Now, they're getting
back on their feet again
361
00:18:53,175 --> 00:18:56,011
with more cattle, and a way to feed them.
362
00:18:56,094 --> 00:18:58,638
They're back doing
what they love, together.
363
00:18:58,722 --> 00:19:00,390
I think I'm done with movies.
364
00:19:00,473 --> 00:19:03,143
-You weren't even injured.
-On to the farm. Thank you.
365
00:19:03,226 --> 00:19:05,228
-See you.
-You guys are so sweet.
366
00:19:05,312 --> 00:19:08,940
Oh, thanks for coming.
Really enjoyed having guys here.
367
00:19:09,024 --> 00:19:10,442
Yeah, thanks for having us.
368
00:19:13,445 --> 00:19:14,905
Congratulations, guys.
369
00:19:16,031 --> 00:19:17,532
♪ Baby left home ♪
370
00:19:17,616 --> 00:19:19,451
♪ She never came back ♪
371
00:19:21,244 --> 00:19:23,496
[Zac] There's a lot
modern society can learn
372
00:19:23,580 --> 00:19:26,750
from the old traditions
and methods of the past.
373
00:19:26,833 --> 00:19:29,794
With the destruction
from the fires here in Australia,
374
00:19:30,921 --> 00:19:34,174
it's more important than ever
to listen to those voices.
375
00:19:34,257 --> 00:19:38,094
Today, we'll learn the technique
of cool fires or cultural burns,
376
00:19:38,178 --> 00:19:40,388
with the Gerringong Rangers.
377
00:19:40,472 --> 00:19:42,974
This technique dates back
thousands of years
378
00:19:43,058 --> 00:19:45,101
and was created by the Aboriginal people
379
00:19:45,185 --> 00:19:47,854
as a way to manage
potential wildfire damage.
380
00:19:48,355 --> 00:19:51,650
Growing up in California,
I know about prescribed burning,
381
00:19:51,733 --> 00:19:53,401
which is a similar idea.
382
00:19:53,485 --> 00:19:56,613
It'll be interesting to see
how the Aboriginals did it.
383
00:19:56,696 --> 00:20:00,158
-You get nervous before you do this?
-[ranger] Sometimes I do.
384
00:20:00,242 --> 00:20:03,745
It'll depend on how big
the area that we're gonna burn.
385
00:20:08,750 --> 00:20:10,752
Closest I ever got to starting a fire…
386
00:20:11,753 --> 00:20:16,466
I tried to light a bonfire
with gasoline one time,
387
00:20:16,549 --> 00:20:18,635
and it lit up in a fireball.
388
00:20:18,718 --> 00:20:20,762
-It went all around me.
-[laughs] Yeah.
389
00:20:20,845 --> 00:20:25,892
I lost my eyebrows, my eyelashes.
Looked pretty funny in my school pictures.
390
00:20:25,976 --> 00:20:28,395
No, we're not showing that school photo.
391
00:20:29,104 --> 00:20:32,649
Seems like wildfires are getting
worse and worse. But why?
392
00:20:33,692 --> 00:20:36,945
-Whoa! What are you doing here?
-I've always been here.
393
00:20:37,028 --> 00:20:39,990
Since the dawn of time,
lightning's been striking the earth,
394
00:20:40,073 --> 00:20:42,617
igniting random fires
and causing brush to burn.
395
00:20:43,201 --> 00:20:45,787
So all of these recent fires
aren't caused by global warming?
396
00:20:45,870 --> 00:20:49,040
No single wildfire can be blamed
directly on climate change,
397
00:20:49,124 --> 00:20:52,836
but wildfires are becoming
more frequent, bigger, and longer
398
00:20:52,919 --> 00:20:54,379
because of higher temperatures.
399
00:20:54,462 --> 00:20:55,463
What's the difference?
400
00:20:55,547 --> 00:20:58,550
[fire] A steady increase in carbon dioxide
in the atmosphere
401
00:20:58,633 --> 00:21:01,261
is causing the average temperatures
on Earth to rise.
402
00:21:01,344 --> 00:21:04,764
The increased temperatures in turn
cause longer, hotter fire seasons,
403
00:21:04,848 --> 00:21:06,224
what we know as summers.
404
00:21:06,308 --> 00:21:09,769
The seasonal heat dries up
the soil, trees, and other vegetation,
405
00:21:09,853 --> 00:21:12,397
making them all more vulnerable
to damaging pests.
406
00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:16,985
All of this dried and dead vegetation
is just fuel waiting to be ignited.
407
00:21:17,819 --> 00:21:20,697
Lightning is usually
the natural cause of wildfires,
408
00:21:20,780 --> 00:21:22,991
and higher temperatures
cause more lightning,
409
00:21:23,074 --> 00:21:24,868
about 10% for every one degree.
410
00:21:24,951 --> 00:21:27,829
Why does nature cause
brush fires in the first place?
411
00:21:27,912 --> 00:21:30,457
It's nature's way
of keeping the forest healthy.
412
00:21:30,540 --> 00:21:33,501
Fires clear out the underbrush,
clean the forest floor,
413
00:21:33,585 --> 00:21:36,379
and return the area to a healthier state.
There you have it.
414
00:21:36,463 --> 00:21:39,424
More chances for ignition,
a tinderbox of dry fuel,
415
00:21:39,507 --> 00:21:41,885
and a longer summer season
for it to happen.
416
00:21:41,968 --> 00:21:45,221
[Zac] So that's why we're getting
more destructive wildfires
417
00:21:45,305 --> 00:21:47,223
all over the globe, year after year.
418
00:21:47,307 --> 00:21:50,643
[fire] Keep in mind, in the US,
80 to 90% of wildfires
419
00:21:50,727 --> 00:21:52,520
were caused by human activity,
420
00:21:52,604 --> 00:21:55,857
like careless campers,
faulty power lines, and even arson.
421
00:21:55,940 --> 00:21:57,025
Oh, that reminds me.
422
00:21:57,108 --> 00:21:59,778
Now that the forest is healthy again.
You better put me out.
423
00:21:59,861 --> 00:22:00,987
Oh. Good call.
424
00:22:01,696 --> 00:22:02,739
Bye!
425
00:22:04,282 --> 00:22:07,619
[Zac] Aboriginal use of fire
as a tool to manage the forest
426
00:22:07,702 --> 00:22:09,954
dates back tens of thousands of years.
427
00:22:10,038 --> 00:22:11,748
The concept is fairly simple.
428
00:22:11,831 --> 00:22:15,543
Regular low-intensity burning
of the underbrush in small sections
429
00:22:15,627 --> 00:22:18,630
depletes the forest
of natural fuel for wildfires.
430
00:22:19,214 --> 00:22:21,049
In turn, the soil becomes more fertile,
431
00:22:21,132 --> 00:22:25,595
and the larger trees are able to survive
if and when the next fires strike.
432
00:22:25,678 --> 00:22:26,930
Yep. Marker.
433
00:22:27,013 --> 00:22:28,098
[ranger] We'll hop out here.
434
00:22:28,181 --> 00:22:30,934
[Zac] Traditionally, the Aboriginals
believe these burns
435
00:22:31,017 --> 00:22:34,813
have a spiritual connection
with the land, and rightly so.
436
00:22:34,896 --> 00:22:38,817
They're using the powerful element
of fire to protect their home,
437
00:22:38,900 --> 00:22:43,154
a concept at which the original colonists
balked and eventually marveled,
438
00:22:43,238 --> 00:22:45,448
because it seems crazy, yet it works.
439
00:22:45,532 --> 00:22:48,993
Film crew and everyone,
I want to show you something.
440
00:22:49,077 --> 00:22:51,621
Just so you don't bump into it.
This week, I did.
441
00:22:52,163 --> 00:22:53,581
Over here.
442
00:22:53,665 --> 00:22:55,542
Green ants nest here.
443
00:22:55,625 --> 00:22:57,627
And they'll sting the bejesus out of you.
444
00:22:57,710 --> 00:22:59,587
Wow. Green ants.
445
00:22:59,671 --> 00:23:01,548
I've never heard of green ants.
446
00:23:01,631 --> 00:23:04,342
I'll just assume
they're far worse than red ants.
447
00:23:04,426 --> 00:23:05,260
Cool.
448
00:23:07,011 --> 00:23:09,431
Next, it's time to start the actual fire.
449
00:23:10,306 --> 00:23:14,269
Obviously, these are trained rangers
with proper permits and equipment,
450
00:23:14,352 --> 00:23:17,188
and nobody should
ever attempt this on their own.
451
00:23:17,272 --> 00:23:20,358
First, the healthy tree stumps
are cleared of debris and brush
452
00:23:20,442 --> 00:23:23,903
to minimize the potential damage
that will be done by the fire.
453
00:23:23,987 --> 00:23:26,448
-Let's go for it.
Yeah. Let's go for it.
454
00:23:26,531 --> 00:23:29,742
[Zac] There's a very ceremonial process
to starting the burn.
455
00:23:29,826 --> 00:23:33,997
Clarence will light the very first fire
in the most traditional way possible.
456
00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:36,082
No lighter or match used.
457
00:23:36,166 --> 00:23:39,502
This is started by the friction
of a stick against a piece of wood.
458
00:23:39,586 --> 00:23:42,589
If you want to have a first go,
you can have a try.
459
00:23:46,843 --> 00:23:48,553
-Like that?
-You're a natural.
460
00:23:50,638 --> 00:23:51,931
Smoking already.
461
00:23:52,015 --> 00:23:52,849
Oh yeah.
462
00:23:52,932 --> 00:23:55,101
No, try to keep in there and not go…
463
00:23:55,185 --> 00:23:56,102
Okay.
464
00:23:57,937 --> 00:24:01,441
This is how it's been done
for tens of thousands of years,
465
00:24:01,524 --> 00:24:05,403
and trees like this one
are still standing because of it.
466
00:24:05,904 --> 00:24:07,405
Good. Gently blow now.
467
00:24:07,989 --> 00:24:09,866
[suspenseful music playing]
468
00:24:13,661 --> 00:24:14,496
Now.
469
00:24:15,663 --> 00:24:17,123
Look at these [beeps] ants.
470
00:24:17,207 --> 00:24:18,791
[laughing]
471
00:24:20,043 --> 00:24:21,336
They're everywhere!
472
00:24:21,419 --> 00:24:23,087
[ranger] Welcome to North Queensland!
473
00:24:23,171 --> 00:24:24,589
[laughing]
474
00:24:27,967 --> 00:24:29,135
[Zac] Oh, there we go.
475
00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:34,307
This is crazy.
It feels like the exact opposite
476
00:24:34,390 --> 00:24:36,935
of what you're supposed to do
with fire in the woods.
477
00:24:37,018 --> 00:24:37,977
-Wow.
Okay.
478
00:24:38,061 --> 00:24:41,898
[Zac] I keep reminding myself that
this tradition is thousands of years old.
479
00:24:43,733 --> 00:24:47,737
Now that the flame is lit,
they'll use matches, which are still wood,
480
00:24:47,820 --> 00:24:50,156
and therefore keeping close
to the tradition.
481
00:24:51,032 --> 00:24:53,743
They will do this
over and over and over today.
482
00:24:53,826 --> 00:24:57,121
This is a very different experience
with fire.
483
00:24:57,789 --> 00:25:01,376
It's treating fire as a friend,
as a partner,
484
00:25:01,459 --> 00:25:04,671
using it as a tool
to prevent an uncontrolled wildfire
485
00:25:04,754 --> 00:25:07,507
from ravaging the forest
and all that live in it.
486
00:25:07,590 --> 00:25:11,344
[ranger] With this cultural burn,
because it's a slow burn, cool burn,
487
00:25:11,427 --> 00:25:15,557
and it'll allow all the animals
to get away quickly
488
00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:17,058
out of the burning area.
489
00:25:17,141 --> 00:25:19,644
It will also promote grass growth
490
00:25:19,727 --> 00:25:23,189
that sometimes grows
in patches in the open forest,
491
00:25:23,273 --> 00:25:26,192
and it allows wallabies
and them to come graze
492
00:25:26,276 --> 00:25:28,570
on the young shoots, and…
493
00:25:28,653 --> 00:25:30,905
So you're sort of resetting the soil?
494
00:25:30,989 --> 00:25:34,617
Yeah, resetting the soil,
and some of the vegetation here
495
00:25:34,701 --> 00:25:37,662
that does need fire to germinate.
496
00:25:37,745 --> 00:25:41,541
[Zac] Modern Aboriginal involvement
in fire control is fairly new,
497
00:25:42,333 --> 00:25:45,837
but it's a much-needed voice
for the process and the community.
498
00:25:48,923 --> 00:25:52,844
[ranger] We've been burning in places
that haven't been burned for 30 years.
499
00:25:52,927 --> 00:25:53,845
[Zac] Jeez.
500
00:25:53,928 --> 00:25:56,639
You've got 30 years of fuel lying there.
501
00:25:56,723 --> 00:25:59,183
That's a terrible wildfire waiting.
502
00:25:59,267 --> 00:26:03,313
-[Zac] That's a fire waiting to happen.
-[ranger] Just gonna go off, yeah.
503
00:26:03,396 --> 00:26:05,690
It's interesting. Goes against everything
504
00:26:05,773 --> 00:26:08,234
in your instinct that's good
for the forest. Yet it is.
505
00:26:08,318 --> 00:26:11,904
Yeah. That's what people
have to realize in regards to fire.
506
00:26:11,988 --> 00:26:14,490
It can be a healer of the country as well.
507
00:26:14,574 --> 00:26:18,703
[Zac] Fire as a healer.
That's an incredible concept.
508
00:26:22,624 --> 00:26:24,542
[Darin] This really does a lot for me,
509
00:26:24,626 --> 00:26:28,630
because I lost my house
in California to fire,
510
00:26:28,713 --> 00:26:31,716
and I really feel like if this was done,
511
00:26:31,799 --> 00:26:37,138
it could have prevented the big fire
that destroyed everything.
512
00:26:37,221 --> 00:26:39,515
I feel like this is a proactive thing
513
00:26:39,599 --> 00:26:44,020
that we should be learning
from the Indigenous people.
514
00:26:44,103 --> 00:26:44,937
[ranger] Yeah.
515
00:26:45,021 --> 00:26:47,732
[Darin] So I'm really grateful
for this experience.
516
00:26:49,859 --> 00:26:53,446
[Zac] The fire will burn for about
an hour, clearing out the undergrowth
517
00:26:53,529 --> 00:26:55,365
and eventually dying out on its own.
518
00:26:56,532 --> 00:26:58,868
About 17 acres were cleared today.
519
00:27:01,537 --> 00:27:03,873
Thanks to volunteers like these,
520
00:27:04,457 --> 00:27:08,169
the tradition will continue
to be passed down to the next generation.
521
00:27:08,252 --> 00:27:11,714
This ancient Aboriginal ceremony
is a holistic approach
522
00:27:11,798 --> 00:27:14,717
that takes into account
everything within the environment.
523
00:27:14,801 --> 00:27:17,011
Which trees will burn and which won't,
524
00:27:17,095 --> 00:27:19,347
the amount of undergrowth
that will serve as fuel,
525
00:27:19,430 --> 00:27:22,183
and the direction
the winds will carry the flames.
526
00:27:22,684 --> 00:27:25,937
And if adopted more,
can offer better sustainability
527
00:27:26,020 --> 00:27:30,316
and wildlife protection to forests
all over this country and others.
528
00:27:34,237 --> 00:27:35,655
[woman speaking over radio]
529
00:27:35,738 --> 00:27:37,031
Oh, that's the ants!
530
00:27:37,573 --> 00:27:38,658
[ranger] Yeah. Green ants?
531
00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:40,118
[Zac] Oy!
532
00:27:40,201 --> 00:27:42,161
[ranger] Pretty fierce when they wanna be.
533
00:27:42,245 --> 00:27:43,955
[Zac] Just when you thought it was safe…
534
00:27:44,038 --> 00:27:44,872
Ow! ****!
535
00:27:44,956 --> 00:27:46,374
…there's the green ants.
536
00:27:46,457 --> 00:27:47,291
[laughs]
537
00:27:47,375 --> 00:27:49,335
-Where are they coming from?
-Your neck.
538
00:27:49,419 --> 00:27:51,379
[Zac] We knew this would happen, right?
539
00:27:52,171 --> 00:27:53,381
Let's get out of here.
540
00:27:53,464 --> 00:27:54,799
[laughing]
541
00:27:55,883 --> 00:27:58,094
Oh, they got a cool little bite on 'em.
542
00:27:58,177 --> 00:27:59,721
[laughing]
543
00:28:02,056 --> 00:28:03,516
Okay. I, marker.
544
00:28:04,559 --> 00:28:05,643
[laughing]
545
00:28:05,727 --> 00:28:07,437
[vibrant music playing]
546
00:28:10,648 --> 00:28:14,068
[Zac] A more positive part of our journey
about flames and smoke brings us here
547
00:28:14,152 --> 00:28:16,279
just south of Sydney
on this beautiful beach,
548
00:28:16,362 --> 00:28:20,491
to meet a chef who stepped out
of more traditional kitchens…
549
00:28:20,575 --> 00:28:21,784
[Darin] Come on.
550
00:28:21,868 --> 00:28:23,411
[Zac] …and into the fire.
551
00:28:23,494 --> 00:28:27,123
This is Chef Lennox Hastie,
a renowned culinary artist
552
00:28:27,206 --> 00:28:29,208
featured on Chef's Table: BBQ.
553
00:28:29,917 --> 00:28:32,670
And in his world-class
restaurant Firedoor,
554
00:28:32,754 --> 00:28:37,175
he doesn't use an oven or a stove,
no gas or electricity.
555
00:28:37,258 --> 00:28:41,596
He has perfected the art of cooking
with his favorite ingredient, wood.
556
00:28:41,679 --> 00:28:44,640
Luckily, he didn't mind
bringing his kitchen to us,
557
00:28:44,724 --> 00:28:48,728
here by the Pacific Ocean, for a lesson
on cooking over an open flame.
558
00:28:48,811 --> 00:28:50,021
-Amazing.
How's it going?
559
00:28:50,104 --> 00:28:52,106
-Zac. Nice to meet you.
-[Darin] Hey, chef.
560
00:28:52,190 --> 00:28:54,609
-Darin. Pleasure.
-Welcome to the outdoor kitchen.
561
00:28:54,692 --> 00:28:57,361
-[Zac] Oh wow! Look at this setup!
-[Darin] This is incredible.
562
00:28:58,112 --> 00:29:00,990
[Lennox] I've been burning this
for a couple of hours.
563
00:29:01,073 --> 00:29:02,325
This is the ember stage.
564
00:29:02,408 --> 00:29:06,037
That's the thing about fire,
you have to always preempt it.
565
00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:08,748
Every day starts,
the first thing a chef does
566
00:29:08,831 --> 00:29:11,042
is light a fire and go from there.
567
00:29:11,125 --> 00:29:14,420
And then the different types of wood here
568
00:29:14,504 --> 00:29:17,298
give you different scenarios
for the fire and the heat?
569
00:29:17,381 --> 00:29:19,842
Yeah, you'll see variances in the wood,
570
00:29:19,926 --> 00:29:23,346
whether it's fruit trees,
or whether it's really intense.
571
00:29:23,429 --> 00:29:27,642
The base we use is a type of red gum
which is called ironbark,
572
00:29:27,725 --> 00:29:31,145
which is really dense.
One of the densest woods in the world.
573
00:29:31,229 --> 00:29:35,817
-[Zac] Wow. Feel that. It's like a brick.
-Yeah. It's almost petrified.
574
00:29:35,900 --> 00:29:37,985
[Lennox] Yeah, so harder to light,
575
00:29:38,069 --> 00:29:41,072
but really intense heat
for a long period of time,
576
00:29:41,155 --> 00:29:44,492
which is obviously really different
from any of this driftwood
577
00:29:44,575 --> 00:29:47,078
when you're out on the beach. Super light.
578
00:29:47,161 --> 00:29:48,830
It's just understanding,
579
00:29:48,913 --> 00:29:51,457
A, the form of heat
and what each wood gives you,
580
00:29:51,541 --> 00:29:54,502
but also the flavor profile,
the characteristic of the wood,
581
00:29:54,585 --> 00:29:56,003
the smell, the aromacy.
582
00:29:56,087 --> 00:29:58,256
When did you lock on to fire?
583
00:29:58,339 --> 00:30:02,635
For me, I think all of us
have early memories as kids,
584
00:30:02,718 --> 00:30:05,513
cooking with fire, campfires,
585
00:30:05,596 --> 00:30:08,349
bringing people
together for a celebration.
586
00:30:08,432 --> 00:30:12,019
But as a chef, I managed
to find a grill restaurant
587
00:30:12,103 --> 00:30:16,065
in the Basque Mountains
many years ago, like 15, 16 years ago.
588
00:30:16,148 --> 00:30:17,984
-Where's that?
-In the north of Spain.
589
00:30:18,067 --> 00:30:18,901
-Wow.
-Yeah.
590
00:30:18,985 --> 00:30:21,737
Grilling is part of the Basque tradition.
591
00:30:21,821 --> 00:30:25,616
All around the world,
you find pockets of traditional cultures.
592
00:30:25,700 --> 00:30:27,952
The bastions, the guardians
of their tradition,
593
00:30:28,035 --> 00:30:31,789
hanging on to it as much as possible
because it's part of the culture,
594
00:30:31,873 --> 00:30:33,207
it's what makes us us.
595
00:30:33,291 --> 00:30:34,792
Did you cook with them there?
596
00:30:34,876 --> 00:30:38,212
I went there for a year,
fell in love with the style,
597
00:30:38,296 --> 00:30:40,047
and spent the next five years there
598
00:30:40,131 --> 00:30:44,260
just absorbing, learning, increasing
my knowledge as much as possible.
599
00:30:44,343 --> 00:30:46,429
Most of it through experimentation.
600
00:30:46,512 --> 00:30:48,931
Cooking outdoors is so primal.
601
00:30:49,015 --> 00:30:51,559
You gotta understand,
you yourself are an ingredient,
602
00:30:51,642 --> 00:30:55,062
an integral part of the process.
This is an interactive sport.
603
00:30:55,146 --> 00:30:57,231
[Darin] I love that, what you just said.
604
00:30:57,315 --> 00:31:00,234
You are an ingredient
to this whole process.
605
00:31:00,318 --> 00:31:02,111
-That's cool.
-Yeah.
606
00:31:02,194 --> 00:31:04,030
We got some beautiful school prawns.
607
00:31:04,572 --> 00:31:06,824
So again, that idea
of "shrimp on the barbie."
608
00:31:06,908 --> 00:31:07,742
[Zac] Cool.
609
00:31:07,825 --> 00:31:12,622
So really small school prawns,
locally harvested just up the river.
610
00:31:12,705 --> 00:31:16,000
I'll use a mist of oil.
So, we use a grape-seed oil.
611
00:31:16,083 --> 00:31:18,294
Neutral flavor, high temperature.
612
00:31:18,377 --> 00:31:21,422
You're just giving exactly what it needs.
613
00:31:21,505 --> 00:31:24,175
You're not brushing with olive oil,
not tossing in olive oil.
614
00:31:24,258 --> 00:31:26,886
If you do that--
I don't know if you barbecue,
615
00:31:26,969 --> 00:31:28,804
but I've had people come to me,
616
00:31:28,888 --> 00:31:31,891
"Everything's engulfed in flames."
They'll brush it with olive oil.
617
00:31:31,974 --> 00:31:33,643
-That's my experience.
-[Lennox] Exactly.
618
00:31:33,726 --> 00:31:36,562
Suddenly it's flare-up,
and then, "Oh my God!"
619
00:31:36,646 --> 00:31:40,524
It's fire, everyone panics.
"[bleeps] What's happening?" It's crazy.
620
00:31:41,359 --> 00:31:44,987
Got a bit of chili and garlic there,
got some sea purslane.
621
00:31:45,071 --> 00:31:48,324
The beautiful thing is,
the more you do it, the more you learn.
622
00:31:48,407 --> 00:31:51,077
I do it because it brings me
in close contact with the ingredients,
623
00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:53,704
but I also do it
because every day is different.
624
00:31:53,788 --> 00:31:56,707
Once this is up to heat,
you'll have these pipis.
625
00:31:58,376 --> 00:32:01,295
[Zac] Beautiful. What's the difference
between a pipi…
626
00:32:01,379 --> 00:32:04,298
-[Lennox] A pipi?
-[Zac] …and other shellfish?
627
00:32:04,382 --> 00:32:07,551
When I first came to Australia,
I was living on the east coast
628
00:32:07,635 --> 00:32:09,595
and used to do the pipi shuffle
in the sand.
629
00:32:09,679 --> 00:32:12,098
I found a few of those accidentally.
630
00:32:12,181 --> 00:32:14,475
A pipi just pops up between your toes.
631
00:32:14,558 --> 00:32:16,268
It's that misconception of--
632
00:32:16,352 --> 00:32:20,106
Pipis became essentially baitfish,
weren't a food staple.
633
00:32:20,606 --> 00:32:25,111
If you go back to Indigenous culture,
it's just something they eat.
634
00:32:25,194 --> 00:32:28,364
If you look at the middens
dating back 60,000 years,
635
00:32:28,447 --> 00:32:31,701
alongside oysters,
you'll find pipi shells.
636
00:32:31,784 --> 00:32:34,078
-[Zac] Wow.
-That's a beautiful food source.
637
00:32:35,913 --> 00:32:37,581
And this beautiful garlic.
638
00:32:40,626 --> 00:32:43,587
Oh my God. I'm so stoked. [laughs]
This is so good.
639
00:32:43,671 --> 00:32:47,550
You just bring that all together.
That flavor of the wood smoke,
640
00:32:47,633 --> 00:32:52,388
and the vegetable, the school prawn.
Little bit of garlic, bring it together.
641
00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:56,851
-Salt's perfect.
-Whole thing, head and all.
642
00:32:59,103 --> 00:33:01,647
-Sweet. Nutty.
-Oh my gosh.
643
00:33:02,148 --> 00:33:03,524
[soft guitar playing]
644
00:33:04,442 --> 00:33:05,443
[chuckling]
645
00:33:06,360 --> 00:33:08,237
You see these pipis is open.
646
00:33:09,780 --> 00:33:11,532
[Zac] They got their tongues out, look.
647
00:33:14,994 --> 00:33:17,455
[Lennox] You want to capture them,
their juices,
648
00:33:17,538 --> 00:33:19,832
that makes for a really good sauce.
649
00:33:19,915 --> 00:33:22,460
Do you use butter or anything like that?
650
00:33:22,543 --> 00:33:26,255
No, I don't.
It's something I don't cook with anymore.
651
00:33:26,338 --> 00:33:28,007
-Really? At all?
-[Lennox] Yeah.
652
00:33:28,090 --> 00:33:32,678
I found that with fire, it was masking
the natural flavor of the ingredients.
653
00:33:32,762 --> 00:33:35,097
-Oh wow.
-Which is far more--
654
00:33:35,181 --> 00:33:37,641
Those flavor profiles are more accentuated
655
00:33:37,725 --> 00:33:40,644
by fruity flavors
from different types of olive oil.
656
00:33:41,228 --> 00:33:42,146
Hmm.
657
00:33:42,229 --> 00:33:44,398
Now, I've gotta cook for my vegan friend.
658
00:33:44,482 --> 00:33:46,150
[all laugh]
659
00:33:46,233 --> 00:33:49,570
-How do you feel about grilled lettuce?
-Let's do it.
660
00:33:49,653 --> 00:33:51,197
-Yeah? Awesome.
-Yeah.
661
00:33:51,280 --> 00:33:53,365
Never had grilled lettuce. Have you?
662
00:33:54,033 --> 00:33:56,494
-Zac, you gonna try one of these?
-Yes, please.
663
00:33:56,577 --> 00:33:57,578
[chuckling]
664
00:34:00,039 --> 00:34:02,333
[Zac] Oh, it's perfect. That's everything.
665
00:34:02,917 --> 00:34:05,377
[Lennox] When you put it in your mouth,
you think, "Oh my God."
666
00:34:05,461 --> 00:34:09,090
"What magic is this?"
It's just the art of cooking with fire.
667
00:34:10,925 --> 00:34:12,426
This is it. Are you stoked?
668
00:34:12,510 --> 00:34:15,304
I bet this will be
the most unbelievable chunk of lettuce
669
00:34:15,387 --> 00:34:16,639
you've ever had.
670
00:34:16,722 --> 00:34:18,265
[laughing]
671
00:34:18,349 --> 00:34:20,893
Came all the way to Australia
for grilled lettuce.
672
00:34:20,976 --> 00:34:25,314
[Zac] This is really nice. Normally,
if we were to have a food segment,
673
00:34:25,397 --> 00:34:29,026
nobody would cook for Darin.
He just watches me eat.
674
00:34:29,110 --> 00:34:32,988
-You've gotta cook--
-[Zac] He quietly waits. It's nice of you.
675
00:34:33,072 --> 00:34:34,949
-You have to cook for everyone.
-Yeah.
676
00:34:36,242 --> 00:34:39,286
-[Lennox] Nobody's left out by the fire.
-[Zac] Oh, thank you.
677
00:34:39,370 --> 00:34:41,247
Look at that. Wow.
678
00:34:41,330 --> 00:34:43,082
-Wow!
-[Zac] Cool.
679
00:34:43,165 --> 00:34:45,626
-[Darin] Wow!
-That's a beautiful dish.
680
00:34:45,709 --> 00:34:46,752
See you later.
681
00:34:46,836 --> 00:34:48,420
[laughing]
682
00:34:48,504 --> 00:34:50,881
[Zac] He wasn't joking
when he said no one was left out.
683
00:34:50,965 --> 00:34:53,342
Oh, it's perfect. That's everything.
684
00:34:54,593 --> 00:34:58,013
The last dish Chef Lennox prepares
hearkens back to his early days
685
00:34:58,097 --> 00:35:02,351
working at a Michelin star restaurant
in Northern Spain, paella.
686
00:35:02,852 --> 00:35:05,604
And in case Darin wasn't filled up
by that lettuce,
687
00:35:05,688 --> 00:35:07,815
this will be a vegan dish.
688
00:35:12,695 --> 00:35:16,615
Chef Hastie's animal-free twist
on this traditional Spanish meal
689
00:35:16,699 --> 00:35:18,993
is perfect for feeding a large gathering,
690
00:35:19,076 --> 00:35:21,412
especially one
that's been filming all day.
691
00:35:21,495 --> 00:35:24,874
As the sun goes down,
the fire becomes more communal…
692
00:35:26,667 --> 00:35:29,044
providing light and warmth to our group.
693
00:35:30,087 --> 00:35:33,799
After seeing all of the ravages
and destruction brought about by fire…
694
00:35:37,303 --> 00:35:41,390
it's good to see the primal comfort
that comes along with these open flames.
695
00:35:46,145 --> 00:35:49,732
Like all aspects of nature,
this powerful element
696
00:35:49,815 --> 00:35:52,776
is just another to be treated
with understanding,
697
00:35:52,860 --> 00:35:55,738
appreciation, and respect.
698
00:35:57,781 --> 00:36:01,410
[contemplative music playing]