Carwoola families regroup after losing homes during last week's fire

A quick glance at an emergency services website showed the fire speeding towards her home was attached with a 'Watch and Act' alert level, and she left her home. 

By the time she arrived at Bungendore, radio alerts told residents on her road, Widgiewa Street, to leave. 

"It was so fast," she said. 

Her family lost all their possessions at Carwoola, but were only renting the house that was destroyed in the blaze. 

She joined other residents affected by the fire in a meeting at the Q Theatre in Queanbeyan on Tuesday night, where community leaders outlined the assistance available to them. 

Insurance advice, mental health support and other assistance were available for people reeling from their loss. 

Mrs Glaab's family was insured, but the family photos and kids drawings are gone.

"Those things you can't replace. That's what I'm finding the hardest."

Mrs Glaab said she was choosing not to think about it.

"It's the only way to go. If you dwell on what you've lost, it's not productive."

The family had moved from the Adelaide Hills in October and had only recently become used to their new house. 

"We were starting to enjoy it."

However the fire tore through the home, now a collection of brick walls, ash and mangled plastic. 

Among the debris, Mrs Glaab's husband Carl found an important family heirloom - a ring. 

The Bungendore community had supported her family since. A family at her children's school at the town had given them somewhere to live, and the school had offered free uniforms for the kids, Alexander, 9, and Christina, 8.

"The school community has just been incredible," she said.

Disaster Welfare Response planning officer Pete Christie, offering immediate assistance and personal support, said many in Carwoola were grieving.

The grieving process varied between people, he said. 

"For some people it could be many days, for some people it could be months.

"People have been for the most part quite thankful for the services provided to them. There's been a lot of emotion as well."

Australian Red Cross volunteer Ritu Clementi said residents who didn't lose their home were worried for their neighbours and reeled from the close call. 

Another Red Cross volunteer, Steve Reiffer, said the Carwoola community was resilient. 

"The community is already in rebuild mode, which is very fast."