Wedge Island bushfire: Residents warned it is too late to leave as fire tears through evacuation routes

Residents in communities north of Perth have been warned it is too late to leave as an out-of-control bushfire with an “extensive fire edge” tears through evacuation routes in parts of Wedge Island, Grey, Cooljarloo and Nambung.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services escalated its bushfire emergency warning for residents in Wedge, extending inland to Indian Ocean Drive and north to Bibby Road including parts of Nambung National Park in Wedge Island, Grey, Cooljarloo, Nambung and Dandaragan about 8am on Thursday.

“It is too late to leave,” DFES said. “Fire has impacted evacuation routes and leaving now will put your life in danger.”

DFES has told residents to identify a room in their homes with running water and a clear exit where they could shelter.

“You must shelter before the fire arrives as the extreme heat will kill you before the flames reach you,” it said.

“Close all doors and windows and turn off evaporative air conditioners but keep water running through the system if possible.

“Monitor both inside and outside of your home for fires and embers and turn on sprinkles if you have them.

“If your home catches fire and the conditions inside become unbearable, go to an area that has already been burnt.

“If you are in immediate danger, call triple-0.”

Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti said there were 200 firefighters on the ground fighting the blaze.

“We’re getting extra aerial support in as well to battle what is a very dangerous situation,” she said.

Four water bombers are battling the flames, dropping more than 12,00 litres of water and fire retardant.

DFES Commissioner Darren Klemm said the blaze was about 48km long, with winds expected to intensify in the next few days.

“We’ve got a pretty extensive fire edge that we’re trying to control, particularly on the western side of the fire,” he told ABC Radio.

“That whole western side of the fire ... is the part that’s really causing us issues at the moment, with these really strong easterly winds that we’ve experienced over the past 12 hours.

“Certainly over the next 24 hours we’re going to see those winds pick up to around 20 to 25 to 30km/h and gusting even stronger ... we’ve got the passage of a trough tomorrow.”

The Bureau of Meteorology has a forecast top of 37C tomorrow, with morning north-easterly gusts expected to reach up to 40km/h.

Mr Klemm said two large air tankers had been called out to the scene and and would help fight the blaze on Thursday afternoon.

“Just to bolster us up ahead of the next 24 to 48 hours, we’re bringing in two large air tankers today,” he said.

“The first one will be here around about 10.00 this morning and then it has to have a few things fitted to it, and then it should be available to operate this afternoon.”

Mr Klemm also said firefighters had been battling an “unexploded ordnance”.

“Monday and Tuesday were a little bit more complex than it would normally be with that UXO issue, which really restricts us to be only able to operate on established tracks to get right to the edge of the fire,” he said.

“We like to get right on the edge of the fire ... to get that middle mineral, and the UXO just restricts us in that regard.”

Nambung Station Stay owner Gloria White told The West Australian that she and her husband evacuated their guests on Tuesday before fleeing to their beachside home in Cervantes on Wednesday.

The blaze has since swept through their property, destroying water pipes, fences and cattle.

“The fire was sweeping through the country ... the wind was so strong so there wasn’t much the firefighters could do but protect the buildings,” Mrs White said.

“We’re just so glad that nobody’s been hurt, there’s no loss of life at this stage.”

She said she could see a thick cloud of smoke but said she felt “fine”.

“We’re right next to the beach and our evacuation plan, should we need it, is to take everything we need and go out on the beach because there’s no bushland nearby,” she said.

“Our town has got a lot of elderly ladies living here and I think they’re a little concerned.

“Some people have evacuated to Jurien Bay, others are sitting tight hoping we’ll be OK.

“Hopefully the fires move through and and it won’t turn turn back on it at all.”

DFES confirmed on Thursday that the bushfire had changed direction and was moving westerly towards Cervantes.

The fire — which has burnt through more than 42,800ha — was sparked by a fatal car crash in Mimegarra on Monday.

A bushfire emergency warning is also in place for people in parts of Nambung and Cervantes, with residents urged to evacuate north.

“If your plan is to leave, or you are not prepared, leave now for a safer place,” DFES said.

“Leave in a northerly direction along Indian Ocean Drive direction towards Jurien Bay.”

An evacuation centre has been set up at Jurien Bay Sports and Recreation Centre.

A number of roads have been closed including Indian Ocean Drive between Ocean Place and Middleton Boulevard, Bibby Road, Wongonderrah Road, Meadows Road, Cervantes Road and Munbinea Road south of the Cervantes Road intersection.

Dandaragan Shire president Tony O’Gorman said a large portion of Cervantes’ elderly population was staying at the Jurien Bay evacuation centre.

“It’s stressful because Cervantes is a town that has a large elderly population,” he said.

“We’ve had a significant number (of elderly residents) come up and we’ve had some people billet out their houses so people have a proper bed and proper bedroom.

“So far, we’ve managed to accommodate everybody and we have had a number of caravans that have come up from Cervantes as well.”

Mr O’Gorman said he was pleased to see people co-operating but said they were “not out of the woods yet”.

“The next couple of days are going to be high fire danger and big winds,” he said.

“But DFES and the DBCA and the Shire have thrown everything at it ... and the coordination has been fantastic.

“We’ve got St John’s out on the fire ground in case of incidents out there, we’ve got Community Health on standby here in Jurien Bay, we’ve got Water Corp that have brought in generators to back up the waste transfer.

“The emergency services have just thrown everything at it and are doing the best possible job.”

Mr O’Gorman also confirmed there would be a community meeting later this afternoon.

Cervantes General Store manager Peter Ivey said winds were expected to push the blaze towards the town.

“The fire is burning to the south of east of town and winds are expected to come from the east and push it across towards the town during the day,” he told The West.

“Firefighters are building containment lines and burning off between the town and the current fire, trying to hold it out.”

Mr Ivey said he could see a a haze of smoke but “didn’t feel panicked at all”.

“We always have a bushfire emergency plan to enact, and that’s basically to move and stay in a safe space where there’s no fuel road ... and wait it out,” he said.

“There’s a few people who don’t have an understanding of bushfires who are quite panicked, but those who have been through it before are fairly calm.”

Resident Shane Vanzetti posted on Facebook that Thursday was “D-Day” for Cervantes. “In the last two days my boys have been there getting our house ready for the fire front,” he posted.

“As most would know our house is close to bush on the south. The boys left last night while they could before all access was closed and now it’s up the professional fire fighters who arrived in town yesterday to defend the township.

“The very best of luck to the volunteers and career fighters and stay safe.”

Mr Klemm asked residents to “follow the warnings”.

“It’s really important that the community out are following the warnings, making sure the bush fire plan has been put to action,” he said.

“Some people have chosen to leave from Cervantes, which is their decision to make, and some people have chosen to stay and defend.

“There are significant crews in Cervantes (and they) have been there for at least the last 24 hours, making sure we can provide some protection through a whole range of ways.”

A volunteer firefighter, who suffered serious burns while battling the blaze on Wednesday, remains in a stable condition.

St John WA was called to the northern suburb of Cataby to treat a male firefighter who had been on the ground around Wedge Island, Cooljarloo and Nambung just before 12pm.

The firefighter, aged in his 60s, was taken by ambulance to Gingin Oval.

He was admitted to Fiona Stanley Hospital’s burn unit after being airlifted from Gingin by the RAC Rescue helicopter.

On Thursday, a FSH spokesperson confirmed the firefighter was in a stable condition.

Mr Klemm said he believed the man was expected to be discharged later today and was expected to make a full recovery.

A second firefighter is also believed to have been burnt but did require an ambulance because his injuries were minor.