Without Warning: One Woman's Story of Surviving Black Saturday

Jane O'Connor

Aug 2011 · Hardie Grant Publishing

About this ebook

‘We'd fought fires before and won - in many ways it's a part of life, here in the bush, so you make sure you're prepared. But as I watched the cars melting, our ancient ash tree torn up by the roots and the air itself on fire, it occurred to me that we might lose this fight. It occurred to me that today I might die.' Jane O'Connor and husband Sean moved to Kinglake, 65 kilometres northeast of Melbourne, 16 years ago. They were drawn by the lush native bush, the space to raise their beloved animals, and the close-knit community. On Saturday 7 February 2009, Jane and her family were sweltering through one of the hottest summer days on record, listening with concern to reports of fires sweeping through Kilmore and Wandong, 50 kilometres to their east and - according to the reports - heading south. But as the clouds of smoke loomed closer, and became tinged with a colour that from experience heralded danger, they realised that the fire was in fact heading towards them. But by then it was too late to evacuate; they were trapped as the firestorm swept towards them, obliterating everything in its ferocious path. Without Warning details the horrifying events of that day as Jane and her family fought for their lives in the face Australia's worst natural disaster. It details how they survived the day and the immediate aftermath, living in a landscape of death before emergency crews could reach them. Lucky to be alive, they then had to grapple with the grief and destruction of their community, and find a way to survive the even longer journey of recovery and rebuilding.

Ratings and reviews

Great story of survival of a horrifying disaster and the ongoing struggle to rebuild all aspects of their lives and community. Very honestly written. Well worth reading

A book that shows just how insignificant humans are when it comes to fighting the might of Mother Nature, I am so impressed by the resilience of the people that fought on Black Saturday, bless you all.

Beautifully and sympathetically written

About the author

Jane O'Connor was born in New York City in 1947. She received a bachelor's degree in English literature from Smith College in 1969. In 1971, she began her publishing career by working in the editorial department of Hastings House Publishers. From 1977 to 1983, she was an editor at Scholastic, Inc.; then she moved to Random House, where she became editor-in-chief of children's books. In 1989, she moved to Grosset and Dunlap. Her first novel, Yours Till Niagara Falls, Abby, was published in 1979. Since then she has written more than 30 children's books including the Nina, Nina Ballerina stories, the Fancy Nancy series and the adult novels Dangerous Admissions and Almost True Confessions. She has won numerous awards including the New York Academy of Sciences Honor book in 1981 for Magic in the Movies: The Story of Special Effects, with Katy Hall; Golden Sower Award, Nebraska Library Association in 1982 for Yours Till Niagara Falls, Abby; and the Quill Award for Best Picture Book in 2007 for Fancy Nancy. She is vice-president and editor-at-large for Penguin Books for Young Readers. In 2013 her title Fancy Nancy: Nancy Clancy Sees The Future made The New York Times Best Seller List. Fancy Nancy and the Wedding of the Century made The New York Times Best Seller List in 2014.