As south-east Australia sweats, Western Australia too is bracing for another round of sweltering days, as families in Perth come to terms with the destruction left behind by the fire that tore through Perth Hills on the weekend, razing 55 homes.

Churches are still reeling, but many are jumping to action, filling the gaps in the recovery effort.

Jared Kealley, senior minister at East Gate Church in Mount Helena says it’s still early days for his community, many of whom are only just returning home after being evacuated on Sunday. East Gate Church is directly opposite the local fire brigade, so hearing sirens during church is not uncommon, particularly for a hillside town at this time of year. But when his congregation started receiving text messages during the service, they knew they weren’t any old sirens.

The Rapid Response Team of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, delivering food and drinks to firefighters

“Emergency messages on people’s phones said there was a fire in Parkerville, which is a little further away from Mount Helena. But when we went outside, there was ash falling around us. We prayed for people quickly, and then we sent them home.”

While no one in the small, 40-strong congregation at East Gate lost their homes, the Perth Hills community is close, and everyone knows everyone. One young girl who often attends the church’s youth group has lost her family home.

“Everyone’s a bit in shock. Being in the hills, we’re always prepared for fires, and we’ve had some close calls, but nothing like this. We’re praying for wisdom to know how to help, how to open our doors. And also for protection – it’s going to be another hot weekend, and we’re not out of the woods yet.”

Two suburbs over, Parkerville Baptist Church are also doing their bit to help the community recover. With roughly 350 regular church members, pastor Craig Lydon says God has given them “access and opportunities to support people through the community.”

There aren’t many in the Parkerville Baptist congregation who haven’t been affected by this week’s fires. Many are volunteer fire fighters or were evacuated from their homes, the stress of which, says Craig, should not be underestimated.

“Just having to be evacuated, and the uncertainty of not knowing what they’re returning too–that’s very stressful for people. And our fire fighters have been quite confronted with what they’ve seen.”

The church is working with the Shire of Mundaring to be part of the volunteer clean up effort, while the toddler and craft groups are arranging ‘Family Fire Support Morning Teas’ at the church with organised play for children, an opportunity for community members to have a break and talk.

Special offerings in the church this Sunday will go towards helping those in the community who have lost houses or had damage to their properties, and groups of people are being organised to help clear properties around the neighbourhood.

“This is an opportunity for the people [in our church] to show real love and support to our neighbours,” said Craig.

Hundreds of members of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church in Perth have also rushed to action with their Rapid Relief Team, focusing on supplying basic supplies, refreshments (bottled water, tea and coffee) and food to emergency crews, volunteers, and displaced community members.

Team members, led by Greg Dartnall have been providing 24 hour assistance in three locations around the Perth Hills area, working closely with the Salvation Army. On Tuesday alone, over 1,000 meals were served to victims of the fire, emergency crews and volunteers.

RRT supplying food and drinks to community members at the evacuation centre.

It’s the first major operation for the Rapid Response Team in Western Australia, which has been drawing over 100 volunteers a day from the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church. Greg says they’ve been preparing a long time, getting the processes in place and the equipment necessary to be quick on the ground for emergencies like this. He sees it is a way for the church to be serving the community.

“It’s about the community, not about our church. We’re providing for people in need, and there’s so much need. And the community has rallied–donations and contributions are coming in faster than we can use them. Steaks and sausages and bread from local butchers and bakers, other companies providing milk and all the fruit you could possibly need,” says Greg.

The team was also set up in the fire zone, offering petrol, generators and basic supplies to those in the community who decided to stay and defend their homes.

“We were ready for this, and the response has been overwhelming.”