41The fireman stood, hunched and grizzled from a long night’s work, at the edge of the cliff that overhung Fisherman’s Hut. He’d lived in Bundeena most of his life, fished from The Balconies to his right when he was younger, explored Tumbledowns with his kids and, later, his grandkids. He’d fought fires all through this stretch of the park, driven the fire trails, risked his life every single time, and seen death close up more than once.
Reports were that more people had been on this cliff than were rescued from it. Several were believed perished. Yet no bodies were found. He’d heard the official line come over the radio: hotter than usual fire caused by extreme El Niño drought conditions and wind shifts had destroyed all remains.
Yeah, right … No bushfire burned that hot.
He scratched
