The NSW Bushfires Coronial Inquiry has heard Russell Bratby survived the Yarrowitch fire, west of Port Macquarie, by sheltering in a neighbour's water tank, but died seven weeks later.
An inquiry into the Yarrowitch fire began on Wednesday.
Counsel assisting Donna Ward told the inquiry Mr Bratby had explained to his wife from his hospital bed what happened on November 7, 2019, when fire hit his property.
He had been staying at the property while his car was being repaired, and did not have any transport to leave when the fire approached.
"He told his wife he could hear the fire coming and smell it," Ms Ward said.
"He said he had put his dog into a caravan to keep it safe but ran back to let him out as the fire approached.
Toxic fumes caused slow decline
National Parks and Wildlife staff were the first to find Mr Bratby after the fire had passed and, in a statement, said he was not in a good state, but was able to walk down the driveway towards them.
He suffered burns to 23 per cent of his body.
Emergency services airlifted Mr Bratby to Port Macquarie Base Hospital, where he was stabilised before being flown to the Royal North Shore Hospital for burns treatment.
The inquiry heard that while initially Mr Bratby seemed to be conscious and stable, his neurological condition declined over the course of several weeks until he became non-responsive.
Ms Ward said statements from doctors indicated this was due to fumes he inhaled, coming from the melting plastic of the water tank.
Mr Bratby died on December 29, seven weeks after the fire.
The coroner heard the Yarrawitch fire was most likely caused by a dry thunderstorm which hit the area in late October 2019.
A formal inquest into Mr Bratby's death will be opened this week.
'It rained fire around us'
Earlier this week, the NSW coroner heard details about other fires around the New England and Mid-North Coast regions, including the Carrai East fire.
Witness David Duff said he had seen fires at his property near Willawarrin before, but nothing like what he saw on November 8, 2019, when a number of fires already burning in the area, joined together.
"It's one of the worst things I've ever experienced in my life," Mr Duff said.
"It was like being in a war zone," he said.
Mr Duff managed to save his main home, but lost other buildings on his property.
Nearby, Barry Parsons was trying to outrun the same fire on foot.
His body was found a day later.
A formal inquest into Mr Parson's death will be opened later this week.
The cause of the Carrai East fire was also found to be a lightning strike.
The inquiry into the north coast fires during the Black Summer bushfires will wrap up next week, before the inquiry turns its attention to fires west of Sydney and in the Southern Highlands in May.
