>> reporter: they have been utterly devastated. homes reduced to charred ruin in a matter of minutes. helicopters attacked the flames. on the ground, residents tried to beat back spot fires with garden hoses in a desperate but ultimately losing battle. >> it just came over so fast we had to grab everything and jump. >> reporter: fire crews are stretched to the limit. three volunteers lost their homes trying to save the houses of others. more teams on their way to join the battle. roadblocks are set up to keep anyone from enter the fire zone including desperate and worried home own eers. >> get in there. >> reporter: west australians might have been forgiven for thinking they were well out of harm's way. >> out of everything australia