Bushfires destroy town in Western Australia

[snoop1130]

Bushfires destroy town in Western Australia
Euronews

WESTERN AUSTRALIA -- It is feared a bushfire that has destroyed a small town in Western Australia may be spreading to other areas.

Almost 100 houses and municipal buildings have been burned to the ground in Yarloop, south of Perth.

At least four firefighters have been injured.

Three people reported missing have been found safe and well.

Wayne Gregson is the Western Australia State Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner:

“The fire continues to be uncontained and out of control. Last night (Thursday), as you are aware, there was a significant impact on Yarloop. It appears that we have lost around 95 houses and a number of structures within the town site including some of the historical buildings, the workshops, some factories”

The fires now stretch across 58,000 hectares. Emergency warnings are in place for nearby towns.

Many Yarloop residents like Ada Farmer have been told their homes may have been destroyed.

“I’ve heard this morning that just about everything is gone in Yarloop, even our home and my neighbour’s and most of our communities, it’s all gone.”

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-01-08

[Jimbo53]

Sorry to hear about this,I used to stop at the local pub on the SW Highway main drag in Yarloop for a roadie on the way back from Worsley in the early eighties,I hope they get back on their feet again soon!

[masuk]

So sad to read of this in my home state. Bush fires are a fact of life, and with the extremes of temperature there recently and the dryness of the forests, little can be done to stop a fire once it's under way.

My sympathy to home owners, and thank heavens no lives have been lost.

[steven100]

yes, absolute tragedy. These bush fires are ferocious and spare nothing in their path.

When owning a house in a woodland or bushy area it is paramount that a proper clearance is observed and a proper fire management protocol is in place, this must include a fire trailer with engine and pump,

cleared land around the house should be at least 50mtrs if not more ... and remove all dead leaves from gutters etc...

Hose down the house walls and ensure good clearance around the house.

If there is no fuel for the fire to burn then you are safe .....

[thaibeachlovers]

I don't get it. Building houses among trees in a fire prone area is always going to lead to this sort of thing. Why is it allowed? Why do insurance companies cover them? Are the people that approve building permits barking?

Perhaps someone can explain it to me.

[steven100]

I don't get it. Building houses among trees in a fire prone area is always going to lead to this sort of thing. Why is it allowed? Why do insurance companies cover them? Are the people that approve building permits barking?

Perhaps someone can explain it to me.

It's allowed because council regulations cannot dictate where you want to build, only approve your application.

Insurance companies do cover them because it's part of their policy offer. If you want cover for fire then you pay the premiums according to that cover.

[callaway]

Tree hugging government in West Australia do not allow you to scrubland clear. Our area near Yarloop was burnt out 5 years ago because Mandurah council would not allow bush clearing in Island Point area. They are absolute tossers that have no idea.

[Rorri]

I don't get it. Building houses among trees in a fire prone area is always going to lead to this sort of thing. Why is it allowed? Why do insurance companies cover them? Are the people that approve building permits barking?

Perhaps someone can explain it to me.

It's allowed because council regulations cannot dictate where you want to build, only approve your application.

Insurance companies do cover them because it's part of their policy offer. If you want cover for fire then you pay the premiums according to that cover.

Some people here make assumptions, without really know what they are talking about, Yarloop is NOT built in a "forested" area, it is surrounded, mainly, by farmland, the fires in town were start by flying embers, carried on a very strong, hot wind, the temperatures, in the last few days, range from very hi 30's to 42.5⁰C, most houses where built many years ago, from timber, and sit above the ground, for air to flow underneath, this sadly also causes air to feed any embers/fire. Please, enough assumptions, some of us have friends/family, in the area.

The 3 missing people, from yesterday, are now accounted for, however, 3 more are reported missing, a at 9:00am local, WST. The fire is now heading towards Harvey, people are being evacuated, the fire front is approx 3 km's away.

[Rorri]

Tree hugging government in West Australia do not allow you to scrubland clear. Our area near Yarloop was burnt out 5 years ago because Mandurah council would not allow bush clearing in Island Point area. They are absolute tossers that have no idea.

It's not Mandurah council's fault, that the fire start, same as no ones fault that the current fire started, you could just as well blame all the farmers for growing, grasses for stock feed, as Yarloop is surrounded, on 3 sides by farmland, east of the highway is forested, do you seriously suggest all forest should be removed. You choose to live in a rural area, you, yes you, take the risk.

[Doc46]

This is very sad ,,But don't they do any Old Fuel Burn offs in Winter/Spring every 1 or 2 years like we use to do in the Forests of North Queensland?

[bark]

Best wishes to all our Aussie Friends.

None of the prisons caught fire, I hope.

[Old Croc]

I have some distant relatives living in Yarloop. Second cousin.

He stayed to the last minute to try to save his birds and animals. Was evacuated by helicopter.

I've attached some pics from his Facebook page, his car and boat are toast, but his house seems to be still standing:

Also, my best mate has a house in another affected area - Preston Beach. I can't contact him yet, but I think they were spared major damage there. They were evacuating people by boat from the beach there when the fire was at it's worst.

[Lopchan]

500 square kilometers burnt out so far. The fire is now generating it's own weather pattern with thunderstorms on its outer edges causing more lightning strikes and wind to push itself along.

[steven100]

NEWS JUST IN : TOWN OF HARVEY UNDER EMERGENCY EVACUATION AS CONDITIONS WORSEN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Western Australian town of Harvey is now being evacuated as an out-of-control bushfire - which has already claimed more than 130 homes - flares up.

The blaze, which earlier wiped out the historic township of Yarloop, destroying an estimated 131 buildings and hectares of scrubland, shifted towards the town of Harvey earlier today.

"Please note fire conditions have escalated, people in Harvey are being directly evacuated," a Department of Fire and Emergency Services statement said.

A bushfire warning remains in effect for the areas east of Waroona, as well as Hamel, Cookernup, Yarloop, Harvey and surrounding areas in the Shires of Harvey and Waroona.

"A bushfire EMERGENCY WARNING remains for people in an area bounded by Old Coast Road, Forrest Highway, Bobsord Bridge, east of Waroona, Nanga Brook Road, Cunard Road, Dawn Creek Road, Pinjarra Road, south east to Harvey-Quindanning Road, Weir Road, Uduc Road and Forestry Road," the statement reads.

Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/01/07/02/03/emergency-bushfire-warning-issued-for-township-of-waroona-in-wa#g8Fqy3MZvGRjsJqE.99

[masuk]

This is very sad ,,But don't they do any Old Fuel Burn offs in Winter/Spring every 1 or 2 years like we use to do in the Forests of North Queensland?

I think the forest areas are too big for controlled burns. There's also community resistance, but to my mind, it's the best thing to do.

Once the forest litter builds up, it becomes a huge problem. CSIRO say the best thing is controlled burns in a checker board pattern, which gives the wild life a chance as well as cutting back on lighting and fire-bug problems. Once you've got a crown fire skipping across the tops, these travel at incredible speeds, with leaves and bark starting spot fires some kilometres in front.

I had a message from a friend in China yesterday, asking why we didn't just pour some water on the trees!

I sent him the attached photo.

[Rorri]

This is very sad ,,But don't they do any Old Fuel Burn offs in Winter/Spring every 1 or 2 years like we use to do in the Forests of North Queensland?

The answer is, yes they do, but not all areas are burnt at the same time, I suspect Qld is the same, it's on a rotational bases, after all, you need to give the burnt area a few years to fully recover.

[steven100]

Updated 1hr ago : TOWN OF HARVEY UNDER EMERGENCY EVACUATION AS CONDITIONS WORSEN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Western Australian town of Harvey is now being evacuated as an out-of-control bushfire - which has already claimed more than 130 homes - flares up.

The blaze, which earlier wiped out the historic township of Yarloop, destroying an estimated 131 buildings and hectares of scrubland, shifted towards the town of Harvey earlier today.

"Please note fire conditions have escalated, people in Harvey are being directly evacuated," a Department of Fire and Emergency Services statement said.

A bushfire warning remains in effect for the areas east of Waroona, as well as Hamel, Cookernup, Yarloop, Harvey and surrounding areas in the Shires of Harvey and Waroona.

"A bushfire EMERGENCY WARNING remains for people in an area bounded by Old Coast Road, Forrest Highway, Bobsord Bridge, east of Waroona, Nanga Brook Road, Cunard Road, Dawn Creek Road, Pinjarra Road, south east to Harvey-Quindanning Road, Weir Road, Uduc Road and Forestry Road," the statement reads.

Read more at http://www.9news.com...y3MZvGRjsJqE.99

[Inquisitorial]

Unfortunately there are still 4 persons missing in Yarloop as at 6pm today.

Now declared as Natural Disaster by State and Commonwealth Govt.

Fire still out of control and threatening Harvey town has been evacuated.

Very Sad.

[steven100]

Now evacuating other small communities nearby.

This is turning very bad.

NSW is sending 60 firefighters who should arrive shortly. Folks are trying desperately to fight the fire to protect their property however it is engulfing everything in it's path.

Government declares emergency practices to be put in place as people are literally running for their lives.

[steven100]

this just 30 minutes ago ..... utter devastation

horrible scenes .....

[steven100]

Fire still raging and small communities are being evacuated.

[Scott]

This is very sad news. My thoughts are with the people ( and all the livestock and wildlife) living in the path of this inferno.

[ripstanley]

Very sad.

Human remains have been located in two burnt out homes in Yarloop.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-09/two-believed-dead-in-yarloop-fires-wa-after-human-remains-found/7078878

[White Christmas13]

TWO MEN CONFIRMED DEAD

WA Police have confirmed two men have died in bushfires raging in the South West.

A spokeswoman issued this statement:

WA Police can confirm that what are believed to be human remains have been located as part of inquiries made to locate two missing men in the fire impacted area of Yarloop.

The first discovery was made inside a residence that was impacted by the fire.

No formal identification has been made, however given the circumstances we believe the remains to be those of a 77 year old man who was unaccounted for after the fire had passed Yarloop.

Entry to the house where the remains were located was recently gained by specialist personnel from the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, which resulted in the discovery being made.

Shortly after, the specialist personnel gained entry to another residence in Yarloop which resulted in the discovery of what are believed to be the remains of a 73 year old man who was also unaccounted for after the fire had passed Yarloop.

[steven100]

Very sad news indeed on two confirmed dead. Many homes destroyed and livestock burnt.

Harvey township is fleeing as the fire rages on.

Our thoughts go to those poor people there now ....

[steven100]

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/wa-bushfires-state-on-high-alert-for-more-catastrophic-bushfires/news-story/c338485be6fac134d6012aa9b9a23ee6?nk=129cb26c16324c5b88a0dabf06739936-1452396371

[masuk]

some photos from the ABC (Australia!)