In the days after flames ripped through her community, a strange memory came to Kurri Kurri woman Ree Heywood.
"I am party queen," she thought, having watched a fire that claimed at least five houses and 600 hectares of land rage close to her property.
But Ms Heywood's thoughts weren't vain, and they weren't out of context memories.
Less than a fortnight out from Christmas, the community had experienced one of the worst blazes in living history. Ms Heywood knew the lives of many locals had been devastated. Like hundreds of residents, she wanted them to enjoy the festive season.
Late last week, she posted to Facebook offering for anyone displaced to spend Christmas with her after being inspired by the small-town spirit of a neighbourhood she has called home for two years.
"I'm a nobody. I just put up the post and thought: 'I can pull this together. I am the party queen from way back'.
"My daughter is older now, she doesn't really let me do parties for her anymore but I've still got a whole house of party stuff packed up. I can pull it together," Ms Heywood said.
Most residents now have family to stay with over Christmas but Ms Heywood's organisational skills have been put to use packing and delivering basic supplies for people left with "absolutely nothing".
Jackie Walsh, whose 57-year-old mother Fiona Harrison lost her home and caravan in Weston, reached out to Ms Heywood in desperation to get basic supplies for her mum.
"I rang mum, she had not long got out of the property," Ms Walsh said. "She was in tears."
Despite such devastating loss, Ms Harrison was helped by community who supplied her with toiletries, pyjamas and a safe place to stay.
Ms Walsh has now set up a GoFundMe for her mum. Ms Harrison can not work due to health reasons and cost of living was "already tight".
"I just really want to get my mum a place to live," Ms Walsh said. Her mother is currently staying with friends several doors up from the damaged property.
"It is traumatic because she is still around where it happened," Ms Harrison said. "I don't know what the long term plan is at this [stage]."
Several other fundraisers have been set up, including for Cessnock Road Tyre Shop owner, Brian Teasdale, who lost his business.
In neighbouring Abermain, residents have rallied to supply clothes, toiletries and Christmas toys to families whose houses have been lost.
Owner of Abermain Hotel, Cass Ponchard, has joined with the Abermain Bowling Club and dozens of volunteers to curate a detailed list of what each family needs.
The community has been "overwhelmingly" generous and Ms Ponchard has now embarked on several days' worth of sorting through "mountains upon mountains of bags" given to victims.
Organisations including Susan Roskell Toy and Gift Drive and Avondale University Church have given toys and food packages.
"My main concern initially was I just wanted people to have a great Christmas," she said. "They've lost everything. One family was lucky to have a few things in the boot of their car but other than that, everything's gone.
It's completely tragic to hear of the things people have lost and the enormity of the situation. It's just mind blowing. It's really sad."
Ms Ponchard - who grew up in the area - said last week's fire was the "most ferocious" she had seen.
"It just hit and has spread really, really quickly," she said of the flames that blackened Elford Avenue, Cessnock Road, Appleton Street and beyond before finally being brought under control on late Saturday afternoon.
And through it all, the message of each community member was the same: "this is not about me".
"It is entirely about the [victims]," Ms Ponchard said.
Her words hung heavy in the air. If the wind had blown just a slightly different direction, if a police officer hadn't seen embers on Abermain Hotel, Ms Ponchard could have been one of them.
Quick action from a police officer at a nearby road block saved the hotel from all but minor damage on Thursday afternoon.
"She was honking her horn to alert firefighters who were about 100 metres up the road. If she had not been there, it could have been a very different story that I tell today," Ms Ponchard said.
The close call was just a small example of the Kurri Kurri community's team work.
"The people here are just absolutely, mind-blowingly amazing," Ms Heywood said.
Donations to the Abermain campaign are currently closed while products are sorted through, but will likely re-open inb the coming days for things like toiletries, men's clothes and shoes.
