69 homes have been destroyed and 39 houses have been damaged in the Tathra fires rampaging through the New South Wales south coast.

Tathra has been declared a disaster zone, as residents remain in an evacuation area, while hundreds of wait for more information at the Bega Showground, unsure whether they’ll have a home to return to.

Ross Greenwood speaks with Dr Mike Kelly, Federal Labor Member for Eden-Monaro who says the fires have been “devastating”.

He tells Ross it’s going to have a significant impact on the diary communities in the area.

“If you lose your milking shed, you’ve got a serious problem.

“We’ve been fortunate though that most of the fire has been confined to bushy scrubland except of course the tragic impact on the town of Tathra.

“I just really want to salute the community. ”

Ross also speaks with Ashleigh Paterson from Suncorp to understand what insurance companies are doing to help people get back on their feet quickly.

“The number one priority for our customers is really to ensure their safety and if they are returning home, not to enter unless the authorities have told them it’s safe to do so.”

Listen to the full interviews with both Dr Kelly and Ms Paterson below

Image: Anika McCoy Instagram