Up to 30 homes lost to devastating Perth fire, more under threat
Authorities fear dozens of homes have been razed or damaged in the fire. Photo: Twitter
The New Daily@TheNewDailyAU
At least 30 homes are thought to have been damaged or destroyed, and two firefighters injured as a massive bushfire continues to rage east of Perth and homeless residents scramble to find shelter.
The massive blaze with a 60-kilometre perimeter raged throughout Tuesday near the town of Wooroloo, with the shires of Mundaring, Chittering, Northam, and the City of Swan hardest hit.
Residents of the coastal suburb of Sorrento, 40 kilometres from the fire, reported ash landing at their homes on Tuesday.
Temperatures were forecast to hit 37 degrees in the afternoon, with hot easterly winds with gusts up to 65 km/h forecast for the hills area.
WA Premier Mark McGowan said the weather was “extremely volatile”. He said 80 per cent of properties in the rural area of Tildan Park in Gidgegannup were thought to have been lost.
Fire authorities were searching the area on Tuesday to see if anyone had been killed.
There are also nearly 3000 homes without power in Wooroloo, Bailup, and Gidgegannup in the Shire of Mundaring and City of Swan.
“Western Power is working closely with the Department of Fire and Emergency Services and will safely access the fire ground when possible to assess the damage before we begin repair and restoration,” Mr McGowan said.
At a briefing on the fire and Perth’s COVID outbreak, Mr McGowan thanked firefighters, describing them as “the true heroes”.
“This is an extremely concerning and serious situation. The thoughts of all Western Australians are with the people impacted,” he said.
“WA is battling two different kinds of emergencies – a dangerous fire emergency and a COVID-19 lockdown emergency.”
Earlier, Swan mayor Kevin Bailey said more than 30 homes were thought to have already been destroyed.
“It appears to be some significant property loss, we’re just waiting for confirmation of the numbers but we’re looking at somewhere in the vicinity of 30-plus homes possibly lost,” he told the ABC.
“The fire has now come down out of the hills towards the flat part of the plains, so there’s an awful lot of smoke through the northern suburbs,” he told the ABC.
“It’s been a very big fire.”
The Bureau of Meteorology said hot and dry conditions would continue for the next 24 hours, with continuing east to north-easterly winds.
Earlier, as emergency warnings were issued throughout the night, families were confused as to where to seek shelter, with many forced to split up to reach safety. The confusion was heightened by COVID lockdown restrictions across Perth.
One family told the ABC: “It’s three o’clock in the morning, we’re on lockdown, can we go to family, can we go to friends?” she said.
“We ended up coming here [to an evacuation centre].
“We’re not sure what the rules are, if we’re allowed to go to family or if we have to stay here.”
Later on Tuesday, an emergency warning remained in place for parts of the shires of Mundaring, Chittering and Northam, and the City of Swan.
The blaze was threatening more homes, with many locals across the region told late on Tuesday morning (local time) it was too late to leave to find safety.
Western Australia’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services told people in a 25-kilometre stretch west from Wooroloo to the Walyunga National Park north-east of Perth that it was too late to leave.
“You must shelter before the fire arrives, as the extreme heat will kill you well before the flames reach you,” the latest warning said.
At least 30 homes are thought to have been damaged or destroyed, and two firefighters injured as a massive bushfire continues to rage east of Perth and homeless residents scramble to find shelter.
The massive blaze with a 60-kilometre perimeter raged throughout Tuesday near the town of Wooroloo, with the shires of Mundaring, Chittering, Northam, and the City of Swan hardest hit.
Residents of the coastal suburb of Sorrento, 40 kilometres from the fire, reported ash landing at their homes on Tuesday.
Temperatures were forecast to hit 37 degrees in the afternoon, with hot easterly winds with gusts up to 65 km/h forecast for the hills area.
WA Premier Mark McGowan said the weather was “extremely volatile”. He said 80 per cent of properties in the rural area of Tildan Park in Gidgegannup were thought to have been lost.
Fire authorities were searching the area on Tuesday to see if anyone had been killed.
There are also nearly 3000 homes without power in Wooroloo, Bailup, and Gidgegannup in the Shire of Mundaring and City of Swan.
“Western Power is working closely with the Department of Fire and Emergency Services and will safely access the fire ground when possible to assess the damage before we begin repair and restoration,” Mr McGowan said.
At a briefing on the fire and Perth’s COVID outbreak, Mr McGowan thanked firefighters, describing them as “the true heroes”.
“This is an extremely concerning and serious situation. The thoughts of all Western Australians are with the people impacted,” he said.
“WA is battling two different kinds of emergencies – a dangerous fire emergency and a COVID-19 lockdown emergency.”
Earlier, Swan mayor Kevin Bailey said more than 30 homes were thought to have already been destroyed.
“It appears to be some significant property loss, we’re just waiting for confirmation of the numbers but we’re looking at somewhere in the vicinity of 30-plus homes possibly lost,” he told the ABC.
“The fire has now come down out of the hills towards the flat part of the plains, so there’s an awful lot of smoke through the northern suburbs,” he told the ABC.
“It’s been a very big fire.”
The Bureau of Meteorology said hot and dry conditions would continue for the next 24 hours, with continuing east to north-easterly winds.
Earlier, as emergency warnings were issued throughout the night, families were confused as to where to seek shelter, with many forced to split up to reach safety. The confusion was heightened by COVID lockdown restrictions across Perth.
One family told the ABC: “It’s three o’clock in the morning, we’re on lockdown, can we go to family, can we go to friends?” she said.
“We ended up coming here [to an evacuation centre].
“We’re not sure what the rules are, if we’re allowed to go to family or if we have to stay here.”
Later on Tuesday, an emergency warning remained in place for parts of the shires of Mundaring, Chittering and Northam, and the City of Swan.
The blaze was threatening more homes, with many locals across the region told late on Tuesday morning (local time) it was too late to leave to find safety.
Western Australia’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services told people in a 25-kilometre stretch west from Wooroloo to the Walyunga National Park north-east of Perth that it was too late to leave.
“You must shelter before the fire arrives, as the extreme heat will kill you well before the flames reach you,” the latest warning said.
A horse float passes a road block on the way out of the fire-stricken area. Photo: AAP
Jenni Stanton, 59, received a text about 2am telling her to evacuate from her home at The Vines, west of Walyunga National Park.
But she and her husband decided to stay put, saying the roads out of the semi-rural suburb in Perth’s north were bumper-to-bumper with traffic.
“The fire has jumped the Great Northern Highway west of Walyunga, so it’s closer to us now but there’s isn’t as much smoke as last night,” she said.
“The yard is covered in ash though, and we can hear the water bombers.”
Neighbour Melissa Stahl, 49, received the same text.
“I could smell the fire and went out the back and the whole yard was filled with smoke,” she said.
“My husband Michael said we better go.
“We grabbed bedding, photos, the two kids and the dog and got out of there.”
Meanwhile, residents of surrounding areas, including Parkerville, Ellenbrook, Chidlow and Jane Brook, were told to leave if they were not prepared to fight the blaze.
The cause of the blaze is unknown.
DFES Superintendent Peter Sutton said about 250 firefighters had been battling erratic fire behaviour.
“It has made it very hard, near on impossible … to suppress this fire,” he told the ABC.
Late on Monday night, WA’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services said more than 500 firefighters had been called in.
Evacuation centres have been set up at the Brown Park Recreation Complex in Swan View and Swan Active in Midland.
DFES said anyone forced to leave their homes should wear a mask and continue to follow social distancing precautions to comply with Western Australia’s current COVID-19 health regulations.
-with agencies
Jenni Stanton, 59, received a text about 2am telling her to evacuate from her home at The Vines, west of Walyunga National Park.
But she and her husband decided to stay put, saying the roads out of the semi-rural suburb in Perth’s north were bumper-to-bumper with traffic.
“The fire has jumped the Great Northern Highway west of Walyunga, so it’s closer to us now but there’s isn’t as much smoke as last night,” she said.
“The yard is covered in ash though, and we can hear the water bombers.”
Neighbour Melissa Stahl, 49, received the same text.
“I could smell the fire and went out the back and the whole yard was filled with smoke,” she said.
“My husband Michael said we better go.
“We grabbed bedding, photos, the two kids and the dog and got out of there.”
Meanwhile, residents of surrounding areas, including Parkerville, Ellenbrook, Chidlow and Jane Brook, were told to leave if they were not prepared to fight the blaze.
The cause of the blaze is unknown.
DFES Superintendent Peter Sutton said about 250 firefighters had been battling erratic fire behaviour.
“It has made it very hard, near on impossible … to suppress this fire,” he told the ABC.
Late on Monday night, WA’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services said more than 500 firefighters had been called in.
Evacuation centres have been set up at the Brown Park Recreation Complex in Swan View and Swan Active in Midland.
DFES said anyone forced to leave their homes should wear a mask and continue to follow social distancing precautions to comply with Western Australia’s current COVID-19 health regulations.
-with agencies
