Wheatbelt fire destroys homes and infrastructure

A fire has destroyed homes, sheds, water tanks and fences across Western Australia’s wheatbelt.

A fire that burnt through towns in the Western Australian wheatbelt on Sunday and Monday has damaged homes and farming infrastructure.

Emergency services respond to a fire at Corrigin, in Western Australia's wheatbelt on Monday February 7. Picture: Stephen Keatley

Western Australian farmer and chairman of Grain Producers Australia Barry Large said there was a “major mop up” underway early this week, and assessments were taking place to understand the scale of damage to infrastructure in the wheatbelt shires of Quairading, Bruce Rock, Corrigin, Kondinin, and Kulin.

Infrastructure already known to be destroyed included houses, sheds, water tanks, pipes and sensors, Mr Large said.

Barley farmer Barry Large and son Braxton on his farm at Miling, WA. Picture: Colin Murty/The Australian

A second bushfire burned through the Shire of Narrogin, threatening lives and homes around the town of Wickepin.

Stubble left behind from an excellent cropping season had given the fires plenty of fuel.

“That adds a bit of trouble to these fires because there’s so much material there to burn,” Mr Large said.

The damage comes after harvest receival and export company CBH Group officially marked the end of the 2021-22 harvest in Western Australia last week.

The state’s harvest set a new record, with 21.3 million tonnes of grain delivered to the network, surpassing the previous record in 2016-17 of 16.65 million tonnes, and the five-year average of 14.2 million tonnes.