Bushfire survival: Bunkers and vegemite sandwiches

When red flames pulsed in the distance a couple in Australia's Snowy River bushland made a split decision: flee or go underground.

Luckily, cattle farmers Donald and Browyn Graham had a bunker in their backyard.

This year the country's bushfires have been catastrophic far worse than the usual season.

It was inevitable that fires would rip through the Graham's backyard one day but they just didn't know when - or that it would be this intense.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) BUCHAN RESIDENT AND OWNER OF "TWO RIVERS" PROPERTY, DONALD GRAHAM SAYING:

"We had a fire to the north of us. A fire to the west of us. The evening came and we noticed that the fires that were over to the west of Buchan had spotted over into the paddocks."

They made a stack of cheese and vegemite sandwiches and bunkered down.

With embers showering above-it was a matter of sitting and waiting.

The temperature gauge hit 70 degrees celsius outside. It was starting to feel like a hot oven.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) BUCHAN RESIDENT AND OWNER OF "TWO RIVERS" PROPERTY, DONALD GRAHAM SAYING:

"So, you shut the two air vents and you look at the clock and you know that you've got enough air in here for six people for an hour."

They emerged after 20 sweltering minutes and launched straight into fighting a fire threatening their shed.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) BUCHAN RESIDENT AND OWNER OF "TWO RIVERS" PROPERTY, DONALD GRAHAM SAYING:

"I tell people I don't have a heart, I've got a swinging brick. Because, it is what it is. I could sit here and mope and woe is me and that takes me nowhere."

They survived - but their house did not.

This summer, bushfires swept across Australia, burning through almost 120 000 square kilometres (12 million hectares) and destroyed more than 2,500 homes.