Series two, subtitled Phoenix, is funded by The Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas, The Paul Ramsay Foundation, Monash University’s Fire to Flourish program and The Minderoo Foundation Fire and Flood Resilience Initiative.

While the first series focused on the events and effects of unprecedented fires of the 2019-20 Black Summer and their impact on their communities, From the Embers 2: Phoenix will look at the healing and rebuilding of some of those same communities after not only the fires, but also the COVID outbreak and floods and visit some new ones who were also affected by the pandemic and floods.

CBAA’s Content Services Manager Abe Killian says: “The first series of From the Embers was extremely popular and feedback from both listeners and participants was really positive. All nine communities featured in the series felt it helped them to heal following the bushfires. Since that time, and as they were rebuilding their communities, they have faced further devastation and heartache along with other communities when they faced floods and the COVID outbreak. Yet the worse the conditions, the stronger the community became. The resilience displayed is just incredible.”

From the Embers 2: Phoenix will revisit Mallacoota, Moruya, Adelaide Hills and Kangaroo Island, as well as several new communities across Australia, allowing individuals and local organisations to share their stories in their own words on how they have managed ongoing and new challenges. For the bushfire-affected communities being revisited, producers will check in with residents as they rebuild their homes and lives within the region, as well as those who have sadly decided to move out of the areas because of ongoing trauma.

In the new communities being included, the local producers will look at the impact of COVID-19 on the health and wellbeing of communities – and the struggles faced due to living through the isolation caused by the pandemic, the loss of jobs, and the economic impact on businesses and lives.

From the Embers 2: Phoenix is expected to be released in June.