Buildings lost and large parts of forest blackened as fire bears down on the South West
Five buildings have been lost and a huge area of state forest blackened as a bushfire continues to bear down on the South West.
On Thursday, hundreds of firefighters were still battling the blaze and had managed to save a number of houses in the area.
The fire, which started on Tuesday afternoon, has so far flattened five sheds, a vehicle and a harvester, destroyed machinery and razed more than 3300 hectares of bushland.
Balingup Primary school will be closed on Thursday, the education department said.
Hundreds of residents have been told to flee and an emergency warning remains in place for parts of Southampton, Cundinup in the Shires of Donnybrook-Balingup and Nannup.
A bushfire watch and act alert is in place for parts of Balingup and Southampton.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services advised people they were in danger and needed to act immediately to survive as their lives and homes were under threat.
Burning embers were likely to be blown around homes, the warning said.
Worried locals were gathering at a community meeting on Wednesday, weighing up their options.
“I’m always concerned about this stuff and the fact that there is two-and-a-half thousand hectares burning out there,” resident Simon Camp told Nine News Perth on Wednesday.
“But if the farm is directly impacted, I’ll stay and defend.”
Stand-by fire fighter Les Westerlund also planned to save his property if the flames got close.
“We've still got two fire units ready to go and extra water in the garden and the house, I’m also a stand-by fiery so I’m waiting to be called out,”he said.
Another community meeting will be held in Balingup at 1pm on Thursday.
“I feel for everybody else ... we can only do our best and help out where we can help out”, resident Julie Cadwallader said.
The bushfire is still out of control and was moving slowly in a northerly direction on Thursday morning.
What to do:
- If the way is clear, leave now for a safer place
- Do not wait and see, leaving at the last minute is deadly
- If your plan is to stay and actively defend, do not rely on mains water pressure as it may be affected. If you have access to a water tank and plan to defend your home, start patrolling with your hose and put out spot fires
- If you cannot leave, you need to get ready to shelter in your home and actively defend it
- If you are not at home, it is too dangerous now to return
- Close all doors and windows and turn off evaporative air conditioners, but keep water running through the system if possible
- The Department of Fire and Emergency Services advised people that it was the safest option to visit family and friends who live away from the area.
People living on the western side of the fire are urged to leave along Balingup-Nannup Road towards Nannup and those living on the eastern side to leave along Southampton Road to Brockman Highway towards Nannup.
A number of roads have been closed including Balingup-Nannup Road between Brockman Bridge and Hay Road and Southampton Road at Glenarden Road intersection.
The Bibbulmun Track is closed between Spring Valley Road and the Southampton Bridge including the Blackwood Campsite.
Wrights Bridge Recreation Site is also closed. An evacuation centre had also been closed.
Warren Equestrian Centre said it had room for horses while Bridgetown Kennels and Cattery said it would provide free board for evacuated pets
Sequin Lodge Wildlife Sanctuary in Manjimup could take any injured wildlife.
Keep up to date:
Visit www.emergency.wa.gov.au or call 13 DFES (13 3337), follow DFES on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/dfes_wa, Facebook: https://facebook.com/dfeswa/ and listen to ABC Local Radio or listen to news bulletins.