The number of homes destroyed by an out-of-control bushfire in Perth’s northeast has been revised up to more than 80 as firefighters battle flames fanned by strong winds for the fourth day.
The massive blaze with a 126-kilometre perimeter has raced northwest across the city’s coastal plain after destroying dozens of homes near the hills town of Wooroloo on Monday night.
Estimates of properties lost started at 56 on Tuesday morning, but by Wednesday that number had grown to 71, with concerns more had been destroyed.
Premier Mark McGowan confirmed those fears on Thursday, saying assessment teams had now identified 81 homes lost to the fire.
“The devastation caused by these bushfires is almost too much to comprehend,” he told reporters.
“We’re all thinking of those who’ve lost their homes. In some cases, their livelihoods. It’s devastating.”
The news comes after firefighters late on Wednesday stopped the blaze from reaching homes in Avon Ridge Estate, Shady Hills View, Gidgegannup’s north and along the Great Northern Highway.
Hundreds of firefighters battled tough conditions in steep terrain as 11 air tanker sorties dropped 200,000 litres of fire retardant, which is credited with halting the flames.
‘A war zone’
Thomas Smith, 28, evacuated when the fire reached his property on Lilly Road in Tilden Park on Monday afternoon.
He returned on Wednesday to inspect the damage.
“It’s a war zone up here. I’ve been here now, just going through the property trying to keep everything secure and putting out spot fires that are happening,” he told SBS News.
“A lot of us that are still here were out until the early hours last night putting out spot fires … just doing what we can to help the firefighters”.
Thomas Smith, 28, evacuated when the fire reached his property on Lilly Road in Tilden Park on Monday afternoon.
Aaron Fernandes / SBS News
The fire spared Mr Smith’s home and only destroyed his shed. But others weren’t so lucky, with more than 80 per cent of homes in Tilden Park destroyed.
Authorities say they will begin escorting residents to inspect the damage on Thursday afternoon. But so far, police roadblocks have prevented anyone from returning.
With at least 81 homes destroyed, residents are slowly returning to inspect the damage.
Aaron Fernandes / SBS News
Former fireman Stewart Brisbane, 55, stayed and defended his rural property north of the blaze.
“The embers were raining in on us last night with the wind changing and picking up,” he told AAP.
“I had all my pumps set up and the neighbours all banded together and helped each other.
“But after they dropped the retardant the fire didn’t move.”
Emergency crews depart the Incident Control Centre to start their shift in the fire zone in Perth, on 3 February, 2021.
AAP
Strong easterly winds forecast for late Thursday are expected to test the western and northern boundaries of the blaze.
Properties near Walyunga National Park and the southern end of Great Northern Highway are likely to come under threat
Hay producer Chris White said the fire was due east of his property and he could see water bombers working above it.
“If it goes full easterly, it’ll come straight through this place,” he told AAP.
“It just has to come down the hill to get to us, and if it wants to, it will. It’s all wind-related.”
Volunteers from the Country Women’s Association carried emergency donations in on foot on Thursday.
Aaron Fernandes / SBS News
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the situation was very dangerous.
“There still remains the potential for gusts of up to 60-70km/h, which may cause embers to carry ahead of the main fire,” he said.
An alert is in place for people in Shady Hills View, Bullsbrook’s east and north of Gidgegannup.
“It’s too late to leave and leaving now would be deadly. You need to shelter in your home in a room away from the fire front and make sure you can easily escape,” Western Australia’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services said.
A miniature pony rescued from a bushfire-affected area is fed by a volunteer at temporary stables set up at the Magic Millions complex in Perth.
AAP
A second large air tanker has arrived in Perth from NSW to help fight the fire with other fixed-wing aircraft and water-bombing helicopters.
About 260 firefighters were on the ground battling the blaze on Thursday, but the smaller fixed-wing planes were unable to drop water due wind sheer.
The fire has travelled 21km since it started near Werribee Road in Wooroloo on Monday. It’s currently eight kilometres wide and more than 10,000 hectares in size.
“It’s a very large, complex incident in very difficult terrain and we have to get machinery in there which can be a long process, so this is going to go for at least a week or more,” DFES Superintendent Peter Sutton said.
Weather conditions are not expected to improve until the weekend when rain has been forecast. In the meantime, the area is set to endure warm temperatures with strong winds and low humidity.
About 800 homes and businesses in the region remain without electricity after the blaze damaged hundreds of power poles and 100 transformers.
