Bushfires devastated vast sections of the NSW South Coast in late December, killing eight people and destroying more than 400 homes in this region alone.
For the families affected by this tragedy, the damage caused is unimaginable, and the task of rebuilding while the ashes are still hot is a daunting one.
Migrants Gaspar Román and Lorena Granado lost their home and leather goods business when bushfires swept through the heritage town of Mogo, 280 kilometres south of Sydney, on New Year's Eve.
"It never crossed our minds that our business would not survive," says Lorena, who arrived in Australia as a child with her family during the internal conflict in El Salvador.
"If we had imagined it, we would have taken out some stock, tools and leather. There was no time."
After securing her 12-year-old son and her pets at a friend's house, Lorena returned to the house to fight the oncoming fires.
Roman Leathergoods before the NYE fires. Source: Supplied
The couple's burning house in Mogo, NSW Source: Lorena Granados
She says that when the flames reached the house, it started erasing her hopes and dreams.
"It was like the end of the world.
"We threw the water, and it came back as fire... It was like a demon that came with strength and fury."
The difficulty of rebuilding without insurance
In less than an hour, the couple’s home and business was completely destroyed, but their task to rebuild was made even more difficult when they realised that the home was uninsured.
"We had no insurance on the house or its contents. Only the building share of the business," Gaspar says.
"We felt we lost an organ because it was our place of joy; it was our pride; it was everything for us to know that we could serve people.
"We are devastated by our loss. Life will never be the same ever again."
The couple moved to Mogo more than 17 years ago to raise their three children and opened Roman Leathergoods, a shop dedicated to selling and repairing leather items.
Among the items lost in the fire were pieces sent to them for repair from across the country, including a strap made from the skins of three snakes.
Source: Facebook
They also lost crocodile teeth valued at $500 each and also tools that Gaspar inherited from his grandfather.
"That hurts me, those are other people's things," Lorena says.
Rising from the ashes
One of the couple’s daughters is raising money for the family through a campaign, which has raised more than $20,000.
Gaspar plans to buy a caravan to get by.
The couple is continuing to assist others affected by the bushfires by collecting aid for the victims. Despite their own obstacles, they say they’re glad to be alive and able to start over.
"Our hands haven't died, and we have our talent," says Lorena, who is drawing strength from the midst of their tragedy.
