Not specifically a field recording, but I thought it might interest some here. I was astonished by the accompanying sound in this video. It’s compelling and terrifying. For context, this is video from a crew member of the Kingscote CFS (Country Fire Service) at the height of the devastating Kangaroo Island bushfires in early January 2020. These are the fires that burnt two-thirds of the island. The crew here are moving along the main road near Flinders Chase and Hanson Bay Roads. (These are the same roads I drove along about 5-6 weeks before the bushfires hit.)
The crew have just passed through one firestorm and are following another crew who are guiding them. At about a minute in, a second firestorm erupts and the crews have no choice but to drive through it.
Of course, it’s difficult to seperate from the terrifying video, but there’s something so unsettling about the sounds that you can hear in the cabin: the regular pulse of mechanical air flow, the slow rumble of the truck, the smack of debris, the (relative) calm and anxiety of the crew and radio cross-talk. Amongst all of this, the raging fire is muted by the confines of the cabin. It’s unlike anything I’ve listened to before.
Also, the bravery of these guys - given the situation - is incredible.
