WA heroes save 6000 homes from raging fires as emergency conditions worsen
A WA firefighter confronts a wall of flame on the northern outskirts of Perth. Photo: AAP
Selfless firefighters laboured through the night to halt fires that had been bearing down on heavily populated districts north of Perth.
More than 6000 homes were saved but the battle is far from over, with an emergency warning remaining in place for the out-of-control inferno.
The blaze has already destroyed almost 12,000 hectares with about 400 firefighters battling to bring it under control with hazard-reduction burns and consolidated containment lines.
On Sunday, authorities said lives and homes remained in immediate danger in Guilderton, Woodridge, Gabbadah, Wilbinga, Caraban, Seabird, Yeal, Redfield Park, Sovereign Hill, Seatrees and Breakwater Estates.
Parts of Beermujllah, Muckenburra, Wanerie, Neergabby and Yanchap were also covered by the emergency alert.
The fire has been burning since Wednesday and authorities fear it will continue to burn for days to come.
A fire-bombing chopper circles the flames north of Perth. Photo: ABC
They say the blaze remains out of control and unpredictable.
Evacuation centres have been established at the Gumblossom Community Centre and the Granville Civic Centre where community meetings will be held on Sunday.
Confirmed losses so far include a home and a service station at Yanchep.
However, Western Power has advised that several hundred properties have lost power because of the blaze.
It said its crews had already replaced 27 power poles and more than five kilometres of lines in a push to have customers reconnected as soon as possible.
“We have also had advanced scoping teams assessing the extent of the damage to the network further north of Yanchep,” it said.
“Early reports have estimated that over 100 poles and associated infrastructure has been damaged so far from the fire.”
The Water Corporation said supplies to Woodridge could be cut off on Sunday while people in Two Rocks were experiencing disruptions to Telstra NBN voice and data services, mobile services and ADSL broadband.
Mobile phone services were also being disrupted in Yanchep.
The fire came amid soaring temperatures with the mercury expected to hit 40C in Perth on Sunday for a record third December day in a row.
Winds were expected to shift westerly during the day, ahead of slightly milder conditions on Monday.
-with AAP
