The Caine and Buchanan families were at the heart of one of Australia's worst ever natural disasters- the Black Saturday bushfires in 2009 which razed whole communities and claimed 173 lives.

Cameron Caine was the only local police officer on duty throughout that fateful night on February 7 as most of the town of Kinglake was burned to ashes. Wife Laura was with Ross Buchanan as he learned that two of his children were in a house where five people perished.

When the searing flames careened into the township on the back of gale force winds they all had to flee for their lives....