‘Leaving now will put your life in danger’: Grim warning for residents as WA gripped by bushfires
As numerous bushfires continue to burn across the state during heatwave conditions, Western Australian authorities have issued a sobering update warning residents it’s “too late to leave.”
Firefighters are battling dozens of blazes under extreme fire conditions from the Midwest to the Great South, including areas around the Perth Hills.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has warned that very hot, dry conditions with strong winds will create extreme fire danger in southern parts of the state, with wind shifts expected in inland and coastal areas later on Tuesday.
“Extreme Fire Danger is expected for the following fire weather areas: Roe, Arthur, Lakes, Stirling North, Stirling West, Fitzgerald Inland, Fitzgerald Coast and Esperance Coast,” a BOM spokesperson said.
“Activate your wildfire recovery plan now.”
Emergency warnings were issued for areas in the Great South, including Broomehill, about 305 kilometers south-east of Perth, on Tuesday afternoon.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services has warned residents living east of Mindarabin that it is now too late to leave as the fire has cut off evacuation routes.
“Leaving now will endanger your life,” the warnings read.
“You must take shelter before the fire comes, because the extreme heat will kill you before the flames reach you.”
Many fires in the north were downgraded to a watch and act warning or advisory level on Tuesday, but residents in some areas were warned there was still a threat to life and property as firefighters built containment lines to control still-burning fires.
People in WA’s Mid West and Wheatbelt regions have been told to monitor warnings as extreme fire conditions change.
“You may need to act quickly, so make sure you are prepared in case the situation worsens,” officials warned.
Residents in the Chittering and Gingin districts have been told it is unsafe to return as firefighters try to control a lightning-caused blaze about 100 kilometers north-east of Perth.
Heat wave conditions are expected to continue through Thursday in parts of the state, with daytime temperatures reaching the mid-40s and mid-20s overnight.
“Severe heatwave conditions will continue across central southern parts before narrowing to the south-eastern parts of Western Australia by Thursday and then easing as a trough and cold change progresses eastward across southern WA,” a BOM spokesman said.
“Locations likely to be affected include Hopetoun, Hyden, Kalgoorlie, Katanning, Lake Grace, Mount Barker, Narrogin, Ravensthorpe and Wagin.”
