Boddington community praises firefighters who saved the town on Christmas Day, as diner keeps fireys fed

The owner of the Boddington Diner who was forced to evacuate while hosting the town’s annual free Christmas lunch due to a raging bushfire, has praised firefighters and kept them fed as they continue patrols.

The threat of the Boddington fire, which was sparked by lightning on December 15, escalated into an emergency on Christmas Day, turning what is usually a time of celebration into a day of uncertainty.

Louise Kasper owns the Boddington Diner and hosts the free Christmas lunch for locals without family nearby, a tradition that reflects the town’s close-knit community.

This year, however, the lunch was overshadowed as residents monitored emergency warnings and prepared to evacuate.

Ms Kasper said the experience highlighted both the dedication of the firefighters and the strength of the local community.

“Everybody was checking up on everybody else,” she said.

“The fireys were amazing, how they managed to save every habitable property.

“I’m proud of our fireys. And the ones that came in, I think they did an amazing job.

“It really has brought the town together and shows that we have the true Aussie spirit.”

Ms Kasper said in the tough days after the evacuation, many residents had supported one another.

“Everybody has come in and given each other a hug and checked up on each other and debriefed in their own way,” she said.

“I’m really proud of this community that we are part of.”

As the only cafe open in town, Ms Kasper has since been working around the clock to give back to the firefighters who saved the town.

“On Saturday night I slept at the diner in case anyone needed me,” she said.

“On Sunday night I got up at 11pm and came in to cook toasties for the fireys so they had food when the 2am shift came in.

“I’ve been cooking them lunches everyday as well as keeping the diner open for the public.

“They saved my livelihood. I don’t feel like there’s enough I can do to repay them for what they’ve done for me and for the town.”

Local resident, Pamela Standen, aged 85, has lived in Boddington for 21 years and said she had never experienced a fire like this one.

Ms Standen and her husband were attending Christmas lunch at the diner with Ms Kasper when they were told to evacuate.

“We were all having lunch and were about to leave when word came out that we were to evacuate,” she said.

Ms Standen and her husband went to the first evacuation point in Williams before they were transferred to a motel in Narrogin for a more comfortable setting.

“We got to Williams, and we were treated very well there. Everyone was given a small plastic bag full of toiletries, everything you need to exist and then there were blow-up mattresses.

“They organised us to go to the Narrogin Motel, so that was lovely,” she said.

Ms Standen said they are extremely thankful to the firefighters that sacrificed their Christmas Day to help save the town.

“The firefighter crews who came to help put out the fire, they worked non-stop all night,” she said.

“They were just so good.

“There’s not enough words to say; thank you doesn’t seem enough.”