Emergency services are continuing to battle an out-of-control bushfire that is threatening lives and homes and has engulfed at least three houses after being sparked in Wooroloo in the Perth Hills.
Key points:
- Crews have spent the night battling the fire in "horrific" conditions
- It's feared a wind change will put the town of Gidgegannup in danger
- Authorities say it is unlikely the fire will be contained today
An emergency warning remains in place for parts of the Vines, Bailup, Ellenbrook, Gidgegannup, Millendon, Walyunga National Park, Upper Swan, Aveley, the Avon Valley national park, Wundowie, Red Hill, Belhus, Baskerville, Herne Hill, Bullsbrook, Wooroloo and Brigadoon.
Around 250 firefighters are fighting the blaze which was reported shortly after midday yesterday.
Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) Superintendent Peter Sutton said the crew had been tested by conditions overnight.
"We're still having very erratic fire behaviour," Mr Sutton said.
"There's been gusts of winds at times up to 50 kilometres an hour and we've had a number of big trees fall which is making it difficult for firefighters to gain access."
The fire remains uncontained and uncontrolled with a perimeter of 60 kilometres and 4,000 hectares.
Superintendent Sutton said because of a morning wind change that would push the fire south-west, the township of Gidgegannup was in the firing line.
People in Gidgegannup and Bullsbrook have been told that it is too late to leave and leaving now would be deadly.
Those in the remainder of the emergency warning area are urged to leave now if the way is clear by travelling in west-south westerly direction.
"This fire has been burning for some time and we would hope that people would have left by now," Mr Sutton said.
"However, we do know there are people who have stayed behind to defend their homes and there are concerns for them because the conditions yesterday and overnight have been horrific."
Fire 'too difficult to fight'
Mr Sutton said firefighters were simply focussing on protecting lives and properties.
"The behaviour of the fire has been that significant that it is simply too difficult to fight the fire," he said.
"There's been no known loss of life and this is one of those fires where that is of a concern due to the fire behaviour that we've been witnessing."
Mr Sutton said the exact number of homes destroyed would not be known until crews could properly assess the area, but it was likely to be more than three.
The WA state emergency coordinator said it did not matter that the area was part of the COVID lockdown, and if people were not safe they should leave their homes.
An evacuation centre has been set up at the Brown Park Recreation Complex on Amherst Road in Swan View.
Little relief in sight
Mr Sutton said it was unlikely the fire would be contained today, as spot fires continued to break out kilometres ahead of the main blaze.
Loading"It did actually spot 3.2 kilometres from the head fire over the Avon Valley, over the Avon River and into the Walyunga National Park, so we have properties under immediate threat in the Avon Ridge Estate, Shady Hills area and parts of Bullsbrook," he said.
"We are working with machinery to track the fire but even then, we are getting spot overs over the track edges.
Authorities are expecting the wind to change to an east-north-easterly around 8am.
This means that the fire will move in a south westerly direction and everyone within the Emergency Warning Act areas must remain vigilant and keep up to date with alerts.
The bushfire is currently moving fast in a north-westerly direction and has burnt through more than 6,600 hectares of land.
Several roads have been closed, including:
• Great Northern Highway from Chittering Road to West Swan Road
• Toodyay Road in both directions between Bunning Road to Bailup Road
• Weribee Road from Cheddaring Road to Linley Valley Road
• Government Road from Linley Valley Road to Jason Street
• Bailup Road from Burma Road.
Motorists are urged to avoid the area.
There are power outages across a wide area, including in Upper Swan, Bullsbrook, The Vines, Belhus, Brigadoon, Baskerville, Walyunga National Park, Melaleuca, Gidgegannup, Chidlow, Bailup, Wooroloo, Avon Valley National Pak and Wundowie.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMibGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIxLTAyLTAyL3dvb3JvbG9vLWJ1c2hmaXJlLWVtZXJnZW5jeS1pbi1wZXJ0aC1oaWxscy1lbnRlcnMtc2Vjb25kLWRheS8xMzExMTc4NNIBJ2h0dHBzOi8vYW1wLmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvYXJ0aWNsZS8xMzExMTc4NA?oc=5
2021-02-01 23:15:00Z
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