When bushfires roared through Koolewong on December 6, Katie Greene’s home was the only one left standing in a row of six houses.

She has issued a stark reminder to other home owners to make sure their houses are bushfire safe.

“I hesitated before writing this,” she said.

“Gratitude and grief sit uncomfortably beside each other, and in Koolewong, that tension is something many of us are still learning to navigate.

“My home is standing; 16 others in our community are not.

“That contrast is hard to hold.

“But there is a reason my house survived when the two homes on either side – and even my detached garage perched above it – were reduced to ash.

“And that reason matters, not just for me, but for every Australian now facing the long road of rebuilding.”

Ms Greene said the destruction around her home is absolute – twisted metal, collapsed frames, the skeletal remains of once familiar rooms.

“My home, though battered, is intact,” she said.

“It bears its war wounds – blistered paint, scorched cladding, broken fixtures – but the damage is repairable; the structure held.

“That outcome wasn’t luck; it was compliance.

“Over the past few years, we had been renovating, slowly bringing the 1978-built property up to modern bushfire construction standards.

“We moved back in only recently, after builders – whose craftsmanship deserves more credit than they will ever claim – installed BAL rated windows, fire resistant cladding, and ember proofing with meticulous care.

“Those decisions, and the quality of the work, are the reason my daughters, aged nine and six, would have had the time to escape had we been home.

“That knowledge gives me a peace of mind I never expected to need.”

Ms Greene said many who live close to the water assume they are insulated from the worst bushfire risk.

“But all it took was a single ember,” she said.

“It landed in grass, ignited, and within minutes the fire had leapt from house to house, each one feeding the next.

“A car exploded in a neighbour’s carport less than three metres from my bedroom window – a window now rated BAL 29.

“Had this been the original 1978 structure, I have no doubt the house would have been lost.”

Ms Greene said she wanted to make it clear she was not celebrating that her home survived.

“I am devastated for my neighbours, for the families who lost everything, for the pets and memories that can never be replaced,” she said.

“But I also feel a responsibility to share what I’ve seen with my own eyes: the standards work.

“Fire rated windows work, non-combustible cladding works, BAL compliance works, quality installation works.

“My home is not a miracle; it is evidence.

“To the 16 families who lost their homes: when you rebuild, you deserve to know that the materials available to you today can protect your future.

“They can protect your children, your pets, your possessions, your peace of mind.

“And to Australians everywhere – whether you live in the suburbs, the bush, or by the water – fire doesn’t discriminate, but preparation does.

“If we ever move again, whether to a remote property or a suburban street, I will upgrade to BAL rated windows and fire-resistant cladding without hesitation.

“Not because I’m fearful, but because I’ve seen the difference they make.

This article appeared in Coast Community News, 22 January 2026.
Related stories: Appeals launched to help victims, Residents in shock after Koolewong fire claims 16 homes