Podcast
Black Summer
Hosted by Brevity Studios · ENGLISH
Black Summer is a story of Australia.
Through eight dramatic episodes you'll hear the true story of the 2019 Australian Bushfires like you've never heard before. Told by those who lived through these events.
It's a story of tragedy, resilience and finally hope.
New episodes weekly, Brevity+ Subscribers get AD free listening and early release.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
9episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Generations to Come
Nov 1900:38:02Tap to summarizeIn this final episode of Black Summer, we turn from devastation to renewal. As the ashes settle, ancient wisdom rises — the return of cultural fire. Indigenous firekeepers, once sidelined, are reclaiming the knowledge of cool burning — slow, deliberate fires that protect the land instead of destroying it. Their methods offer not nostalgia, but a blueprint for survival. The lesson of Black Summer is not just what was lost, but what can still be saved. Hope remains, flickering at the edges of the bush. If we listen, and act now, the land can learn to breathe again.https://firesticks.org.au/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Lessons from the Past
Nov 1200:37:49Tap to summarizeIn the aftermath of the 2019 bushfires, one thing became painfully clear: we’d forgotten lessons we once knew. For tens of thousands of years, Indigenous communities practiced “cold burning” - small, low-intensity fires that cleaned the forest floor without scorching it. It kept fuel loads down, protected habitat, and maintained balance. But over generations, that knowledge was pushed aside by bureaucracy, fear, and a belief that nature should be left untouched. Then the fires came hot and fast, feeding on years of accumulated fuel. Now, Australia is slowly looking back and realising perhaps the old ways weren’t so primitive.If you would like to donate to a great cause supporting wildlife throughout Australia please visit:https://www.ifaw.org/au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Best Laid Plans
Nov 500:42:21Tap to summarizeWhen the Black Summer fires tore through Cobargo in 2019, the small New South Wales town was left in ruins. Homes, businesses, and entire livelihoods were lost overnight. As the flames closed in, residents faced the impossible choice — stay and defend, or flee into the smoke. Roads were cut off, communication collapsed, and desperate evacuations played out in chaos. This episode tells the story of those who escaped through walls of fire, those who stayed behind, and the community that refused to disappear. It’s a story of resilience, heartbreak, and the haunting silence that followed the blaze. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Firestorm
Oct 2900:38:27Tap to summarizeWhen the inferno tore through Cobargo in December 2019, it wasn’t just homes that burned — it was history, livelihoods, and the heart of a tight-knit rural town. In this episode, survivors recount the chaos of that morning: walls of flame devouring the main street, skies turning black at dawn, and the desperate fight to save what couldn’t be saved. From the volunteer firefighters who refused to leave to families who returned to nothing but ash, this is the story of a community brought to its knees — and the long road back. “Cobargo” is a raw, first-hand account of loss, resilience, and the human cost of Australia’s Black Summer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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It's Too Late
Oct 2200:34:13Tap to summarizeWhen the Black Summer fires tore through New South Wales in 2019, the town of Cobargo was hit hard. This episode captures the raw, firsthand accounts of residents who watched their homes, livelihoods, and community go up in flames. Through the voices of firefighters, farmers, and families, we hear what it was like to face an unstoppable inferno — the split-second decisions, the heartbreak, and the resilience that followed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Heating Up
Oct 1500:33:37Tap to summarizeWhen the Mt Gosper fire tore through New South Wales in 2019, exhausted crews faced an inferno unlike anything before — a fire that merged with six others to become a living, breathing monster. In the desperate fight to contain it, a backburn operation was lit — a decision meant to save lives, but one that went catastrophically wrong. In this episode, we step inside that moment: the pressure, the chaos, and the heartbreaking aftermath that still divides those who were there. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Stay or Go?
Oct 1300:34:13Tap to summarizeIn 2019, bushfires tore through Nymboida, Australia, forcing residents into an impossible choice: stay and defend their homes or flee into uncertainty. This episode explores the razor-edge decisions made in those frantic hours — families weighing memories against survival, neighbors rallying with hoses and buckets, and others abandoning everything to escape the flames. Through first-hand accounts, we uncover the split-second calls that defined lives, the aftermath of those choices, and the haunting question: when fire comes, do you stay or go?To subscribe on Spotify or other apps, you can use Supporting Cast and support our work by subscribing here: https://guilt.supportingcast.fm/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Rainforests Don't Burn
Oct 1300:35:54Tap to summarizeIn September 2019, as flames swept across Queensland’s hinterland, the historic Binna Burra Lodge was reduced to ash. Perched in the Lamington National Park for more than 80 years, the timber lodge wasn’t just a getaway—it was a cultural landmark, a gathering point for generations of hikers, families, and conservationists. Its destruction became one of the most symbolic losses of the Black Summer bushfires, a searing reminder that even heritage and history aren’t safe in the era of extreme fire.Binna Burra signaled a turning point in Australia’s fire story. Beyond the heartbreak of a lodge lost, it raised urgent questions: what happens when climate change collides with treasured places, and how do we mourn cultural icons consumed by fire? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Trailer
Oct 1300:02:17Tap to summarize**Black Summer is a Story of Australia.***Black Summer* is an eight-part podcast telling the story of Australia’s 2019 bush fires through the voices of survivors, firefighters, and experts. From families who fled firestorms to crews who faced impossible conditions, each episode captures trauma, courage, and resilience. This is a record of loss and survival—and a stark warning of the future Australians, and the world, can no longer ignore.Contact: <brevitystudiosnz@gmail.com>[www.brevityplus.com](https://www.brevityplus.com)This is a Brevity+ ProductionNarrated by Ryan WolfResearched, written and edited by Jacob Masters & Ryan WolfMarketing and PR: Bella OffnerWeb: Jacob Saffle from [Medio Street Media](https://www.mediostreetmedia.com/)For all media enquiries: <bella@brfpr.com> Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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