Wildfire in Western Australia: 56 homes destroyed, residents said it’s too late to leave

A wildfire burning northeast of Perth on Australia’s west coast has destroyed 56 houses and threatens more, and many locals in the region have said it is too late to leave.

The nearly 17,000-acre blaze, which has a 60-kilometer perimeter, started yesterday and spread overnight near the town of Wooroloo, with Mundaring, Chittering, Northam and Swan counties affected.

So far, more than 7,500 acres have been devastated and a staggering 80 percent of properties have been razed at Tilden Park in Gidgegannup.

The news was confirmed today by Washington Prime Minister Mark McGowan, who said the “extremely dangerous” fire was threatening homes and lives.

More than 20 houses are believed to have been destroyed in Tilden Park alone, which is located east of Perth.

“DFES [Department of Fire and Emergency Services] warn they have lost 80 percent of all property in rural Tilden Park in Gidgegannup [and] will conduct investigations in an attempt to establish whether there has been any loss of life, “McGowan said.

Speaking tonight, DFES Commissioner Darren Klemm confirmed that 56 homes have been lost so far.

“Our rapid damage assessment teams have been through much of the incident and there are still a few more, but at this point I can tell you that 56 homes have been lost. This is terrible news for the homeowners and our thoughts are with all of them, “he said.

Klemm said that as far as he knew, no deaths or injuries had been reported to the public, although six firefighters had received minor injuries.

People on a 25 kilometer stretch west from Wooroloo to Walyunga National Park northeast of Perth were told it was too dangerous to leave their homes.

“You must take shelter before the fire hits, as the extreme heat will kill you long before the flames reach you,” read the last warning.

Roads outside the semi-rural suburb The Vines on the northern outskirts of Perth were packed with traffic, prompting some to choose to stay.

Melissa Stahl, 49, received a text message telling her to evacuate.

“I could smell the fire and I went out the back and the whole yard was filled with smoke,” he said. “We took bedding, photos, the two children and the dog and got out of there.”

A warning to other threatened areas told people to leave if they weren’t prepared to fight the fire. The fire is unpredictable and weather conditions are changing rapidly, the advisory said, urging people to stay alert.

The cause of the fire is unknown.

Fire and Emergency Services Superintendent Peter Sutton said about 250 firefighters had been fighting the erratic blaze.

“It has made it very difficult, almost impossible … to put out this fire,” Sutton said.

Wildfires are common during the Australian summer. However, the season has been mild on Australia’s southeastern coast, which was devastated by massive fires last summer.

– With news.com.au