Brother saves day with little tractor

'Rhiannon', who called 3AW's talkback line shortly before midnight on Saturday from Chum Creek, near Healesville in Victoria, was dramatically rescued – along with several other people - by Rhiannon’s heroic 18-year-old brother and his small tractor.

As fires ripped through several regions in Victoria after temperatures hovered close to 50 degrees earlier on Saturday, Rhiannon told 3AW’s Steve Murphy and Mike Brady she was trapped with around 20 others - including eight children under the age of 10 - in a house surrounded by approaching fires.

Pleading for help from emergency services, which Rhiannon said were nowhere to be seen on a night the Country Fire Authority's resources were tested like never before, the 20-year-old detailed the terrified group were about to implement an improvisational fire-plan.

Rhiannon then hung up the phone before calling again soon after, pleading for someone to: "Please send help."

On a third call to 3AW several minutes later – now on Sunday morning after midnight – Rhiannon said she was in the process of being rescued on a tractor 'cutting through the paddocks'. In a distressing moment, the phone connection with Rhiannon was then lost.

Brady then revealed to listeners minutes later he believed Rhiannon was safe, but it wasn't until Rhiannon’s emotional father Mark – sobbing with joy – phoned through to laud his son as the hero who saved the day.

"Rhiannon's safe – her brother's saved her," said Mark. "Mate, you've got no idea how happy I am. Her brother is just an absolute legend. He's gone down through the burning paddock, cut his way through to the other house and got them all out on a little tractor with a pump on the back of it."

"Rhiannon turns 21 next Sunday. We can actually celebrate it."

Mark and his family's joy was but a brief respite for a state facing fires which had killed at least 14 people by midnight. Victoria Police have indicated the death toll could very well rise to 40 and above by Sunday morning.

3AW Radio will take your calls non-stop on 96900693 or 13 30 32 and the station will broadcast constant updates on what areas of Victoria the fires are ravaging. To listen live and find out valuable numbers to call if you fear for a family member or friend, please return to the 3AW website's home page.