Homes destroyed as bushfires threaten towns in Australia

Sydney, Jan 25 (IANS/GURPUNEET SIDHU):- Homes have been destroyed and thousands of people said it is too late to evacuate as large out of control bushfires burn in Western Australia (WA).

Authorities in WA on Saturday morning warned residents of towns near two bushfires burning in the state’s southwest that it is too late to leave due to fire impacting evacuation routes, Xinhua news agency reported.

One of the fires near the town of Arthur River, 190 km southwest of Perth, burned through over 11,000 hectares of land on Friday amid hot and windy conditions. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported on Saturday that two houses had been destroyed by the fire, with fears for more.

Residents of Arthur River and surrounding towns have been told it is too late to leave and to seek shelter at home.

“Leaving now will put your life in danger,” the emergency warning from the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) said. “You must shelter before the fire arrives, as the extreme heat will kill you before the flames reach you.”

A lower-level warning for the wider region advised residents to prepare to evacuate. A separate fire near Bremer Bay, a popular tourist destination on the state’s south coast, also prompted a warning that it is too late to leave.

“Do not try to leave or enter this area in a vehicle or on foot. If you cannot shelter in a solid structure, you need to stay in an open space, away from vegetation, such as the beach,” the DFES said.

Warnings have been downgraded for a 40,000-hectare bushfire burning in WA’s sparsely-populated central region, over 300 km east of Perth, with people in the area advised to monitor conditions.

WA has been affected by a severe heatwave for several days, with temperatures across the state exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.