Darwin retirees watch their home reduced to ashes in Livingstone bushfire

On a Sunday afternoon, Graham and Margaret Doyle were preparing dinner at their Livingstone residence when smoke signaled an approaching fire. Within minutes the blaze raced toward the house at a speed the couple likened to a surf wave, covering about 350 metres in a minute, and they had only moments to act. They rescued their three dogs, but Graham was struck by a fireball, sustaining minor burns and inhaling smoke before being taken to hospital.

Bushfires NT Incident Controller Nathaniel Staniford attributed the fire’s intensity to a high fuel load of gamba grass and noted that fire crews lacked the equipment to enter burning structures. With the home uninsured, the Doyles face rebuilding their lives; a granddaughter-run crowdfunding page has so far collected more than $8,000, and they continue to sift through the debris for treasured items such as wedding rings and family medals.