<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A firefighter brigade commander and his brother are coming to terms with losing their homes, after a bushfire tore through their small town in Victoria's Central Highlands.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Tyrone Rice has worked with the County Fire Authority (CFA) for 48 years and was fighting one of the dozens of bushfires ravaging the state when he received news his own Harcourt home was in the firing line.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It was too late, it was gone, it was already on fire," he told 9News.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/victoria-bushfires-longwood-ruffy-unrecognisable-scenes/18de54ff-08d1-4ffb-b690-9c204acb4604" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>'Like an atomic bomb': Small town unrecognisable as fire destroys homes</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Rice is now grappling with the loss.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Bit like a kick in the guts, but I'm not the first person to go through it, and I won't be the last," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Across the road, his brother is facing the same devastation.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/victoria-bushfires-firefighter-brigade-commander-tyrone-rice-loses-harcourt-home/718c8e02-4f8c-4ece-896d-529653115e8d" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Retirees Ray and Loretta Rice have lived in the town for 19 years and had their forever home demolished by the fire.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Now, only charred brick remains. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Probably hasn't hit me yet," Ray said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Our retirement has all gone up in smoke... You can rebuild houses. I've been broke before, so we start again, but 79 is a bit old to be starting again."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is all ours... was [ours]," Loretta said, becoming visibly emotional.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span></span><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-set-for-intense-heat/99df6d08-5ded-4d24-a90e-1eb77a0307d2" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Hundreds of firefighters on standby as Sydney tops 40 degrees</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The fire swept through yesterday afternoon, with its speed catching locals by surprise.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>For those who stayed behind, last night was a reprieve as temperatures dropped.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>This morning, locals were able to see the extent of the damage after the fire burned through 30,000 hectares of land, destroying 50 structures, including homes and farms. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan acknowledged the town's devastation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is a fabulous small community that has been hit really hard," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australians have poured their support behind the community to help them recover from their losses. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Tyrone said the response has been overwhelming. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"In fact, I haven't replied to them all. There's just too many," he said. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/queensland-cyclone-warning-severe-weather-forecast-heavy-rain-updates/41d13e7e-3d9c-43f8-9326-da96909c22b6" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>'High' chance of cyclone as rain sweeps Queensland coast</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Other frontline responders also lose their homes </span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In Alexandra, volunteer firefighter Michael Harper spent more than 20 hours on the frontline saving other people's homes.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>During that time, he lost his home of 10 years to a blaze.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Meanwhile, the Mayor of Murrindindi, Damien Gallagher, who was part of the strike team fighting the fire, was also told his house had been destroyed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The intensity of the heat is incredible," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"And with my crew, the guys on the back did an incredible job in some tough situations where they couldn't breathe."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But he came back to find a miracle - his home still standing.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We really need to pour our hearts out to the community members, many of whom are coming home to no home," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><span></span></em><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f"><em><strong><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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