Casey Kirchhoff’s home was one of the thousands that were lost in Australia’s horrific summer of bushfires, where more than one million hectares were burnt, more than twenty people died, and at least 1 billion animals perished.
For Casey, coming back to her place in Wingello – a few hours South of Sydney – was almost indescribable.
“Seeing it and knowing it’s a place you loved…I can’t find the word for it – it’s shattering, really.”
An ecologist and PHD candidate at the University of New South Wales, Casey has felt the devastation especially deeply, as studying Australian flora is her life’s work.
But while the bush around her home is burnt and blackened, Casey has managed to focus on looking forward – and finding solace in the bright green life already sprouting through the ash at her feet.
Read more: Want to help the bushfire recovery? This citizen science project is easy and free | Triple J Hack
