Perth Hills bushfire downgraded, but not before property destroyed
One state is battling three emergency-level bushfires, with the latest threatening lives and homes within the capital’s metro area.
A bushfire in the Perth Hills may have been down graded but it was too late for one home, with the hearbreaking moment it collapses caught on camera.
An emergency alert was issued for a fire at Parkerville, about 30km east of Perth’s CBD, just after 10am on Thursday.
The fire started about 9.30am near Granite Rd; it’s since been downgraded to a watch and act alert level after the blaze was contained.
Vision from a news helicopter earlier in the day shows a two-storey property consumed by flames.
As the camera rolls, the roof and entire upper storey can be seen collapsing in on the structure.
Despite the downgraded warning, the fire is still burning out of control, although the latest update has it listed as being stationary.
About 75 firefighters remain on the scene extinguishing hot spots, while aerial support has been stood down to assist with the bushfire emergency out at Toodyay.
A Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) alert has given those in the wider Hills area the all-clear, with the watch and act area now covering an area bounded by Richardson, Byfield, Riley, and Granite Roads in Parkerville.
But residents who had evacuated earlier in the day aren’t yet able to return, as it’s not safe.
Aerial footage from the blaze shows some homes on fire, as reports grow of properties lost, although DFES has not confirmed this at time of writing.
An evacuation centre also remains open for Parkerville residents at Brown Park on Salisbury Rd in the nearby suburb of Swan View.
Two men, aged in their 60s, have been taken to Midland Hospital for treatment after suffering minor injuries while fighting the fire.
It’s understood one has minor burns, while the other has a foot injury.
Western Power reports about 400 homes and businesses in the area have their power supplied affected.
On Thursday morning, DFES Commissioner Darren Klemm said the fire was a huge concern due to hot, dry, and windy conditions.
“The large air tanker has been deployed,” he told reporters on Thursday.
“We know Parkerville is an area where we’ve had significant fires before, including loss of homes, so the concern level is very high.”
Fifty-seven properties were destroyed in a massive fire at Parkerville in 2014.
Nearby John Forrest National Park has been closed.
WHEATBELT AND BUNBURY FIRES FLARE UP
Another emergency bushfire alert has been issued for a fire near the Wheatbelt town of Toodyay, about 85km northeast of Perth, after it intensified again on Thursday afternoon.
Anyone still in the fireground is being warned it’s too dangerous to leave, due to hazards.
It was first reported just before 11am on Wednesday, and is moving fast in a west-north-westerly direction, out of control and uncontained.
About 60 firefighters are actively fighting the blaze, backed up by aerial support until daylight fades.
It was at an emergency level on Thursday morning, and was downgraded for a few hours, before being bumped back up to emergency level.
Five people were injured on Wednesday when a fire truck heading to the scene left the road and rolled.
About 157 properties have been left without power in the area.
Meanwhile, another bushfire south of Perth, which was previously contained, has also flared up and is back at an emergency warning level.
The fire in the Bunbury suburb of Eaton was sparked about 10pm Wednesday night, but was upgraded when it broke containment lines on Thursday afternoon.
It has Forrest Hwy closed at the scene.
OTHER EMERGENCY FIRES DOWNGRADED
The fire near Lancelin, a small tourist and fishing town about 127km north of Perth, has been downgraded to an advice level.
It was reported about 4pm on Wednesday and quickly moved towards Lancelin, forcing residents from their homes.
About 100 firefighters spent the night tackling the blaze, with the downgrade issued early on Thursday once the fire had been contained and controlled.
Premier Roger Cook has issued a stern warning about drones after someone using one caused the grounding of aerial support at Lancelin.
Firefighting aircraft couldn’t operate near Lancelin during the crucial period before it became too dark to fly because someone in the area had sent up a drone.
“That interrupted the firefighting response for at least an hour,” Mr Cook said.
“That drone operator put lives at risk.”
The Premier also took time to thank firefighters for their efforts.
“They’ve done a fantastic job overnight and we know it’s been a long and difficult night,” Mr Cook said.
And a third fire in the South West region, which was at an emergency level on Thursday morning, has also been downgraded to a watch and act.
The fire at Northcliffe in the Shire of Manjimup, about 320km south of Perth, has been burning since Tuesday afternoon and still has the potential to threaten people in the localities of Callcup, Crowea, and Meerup.
It’s burned through about 3000ha of bush, with the cause deemed to be accidental.
Two sheds, a boat, six vehicles, and a shed have been destroyed there, but no homes have been lost at this stage.
Community meetings are taking place in or near the bushfire-affected towns on Thursday.
The most up-to-date information can be found on the DFES Emergency WA website.
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