- The fire burned more than 26 square miles.
- Firefighters said the wind made it difficult to control.
- The area is strictly closed due to COVID-19.
A raging wildfire sparked by windy, hot conditions in Southwest Australia has burned down dozens of homes, sparking dire warnings for residents on the flames’ potential path.
“You are in danger and must act immediately to survive,” said an alert sent by emergency responders Wednesday at approximately 12:45 p.m. local time. “There is a threat to lives and homes.”
The warning informed residents in some areas that “it is too late to leave and leaving now would be fatal.”
The fire is burning near the town of Wooroloo, about 30 miles outside of Perth. According to initial reports, at least 59 homes had been destroyed, according to the Western Australia Department of Fire and Emergency Services. Further investigation showed that 71 houses had been burned.
At least 200 firefighters fought the fire, which has scorched more than 26 square miles.
“Irregular fire behavior fueled by high winds continues to challenge frontline crews who protect what they can and post containment lines,” the agency said in a social media post showing images of the intense flames.
Residents were advised to take shelter in their place and have a plan to escape.
“You have to hide before the fire starts because the extreme heat will kill you well before the flames reach you … If your house catches fire and the conditions inside get unbearable, you have to go outside and go to an area already burned, ”said the emergency call.
The region is strictly closed off due to COVID-19, causing some confusion as to whether people were allowed to leave their homes. Officials made it clear that escaping a life-threatening wildfire should take precedence over the COVID-19 restrictions.
“If you have any doubts, go away,” said Chris Dawson, the Western Australia state emergency coordinator and police commissioner, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. “If you’re in that fire zone, don’t hesitate, we don’t want people to be so careful about threatening them or their loved ones.”
The emergency alert told residents, “Whether you are in lockdown or personally quarantined for COVID-19, you must do everything you need to do to protect yourself and your loved ones.”
Wooroloo resident Elaine Palfrey told ABC that she, her husband, and four children had fled their home as the flames approached.
“We just sat in the house because of the fence and we smelled smoke outside, so we went to see where the smoke was coming from and it was across the road,” said Palfrey. “We saw a big flame coming out of a tree and black smoke, and with the wind coming our way, there just wouldn’t be much time … so we decided to pack a few things and really run away . “
They went to a relative’s house, where they saw images of their house burning down on television news.
“That was awful,” she said.
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