Bridgetown And Denmark Bushfires: Resident Critical, At Least Five Properties Lost As Blazes Rage In WA South

ABC News

Key Points A Bridgetown resident has been critically injured fighting the fire Four properties in Denmark and one in Hester have been razed Police have sent arson squad detectives to Bridgetown to investigate

A Bridgetown resident is in a critical condition in hospital and five properties have been razed as twin bushfires wreak havoc in Western Australia's south.

Hundreds of firefighters battled blazes in Bridgetown, in WA's South West and in Denmark, in the state's Great Southern region.

On Sunday afternoon bushfire emergency warnings were issued for two other blazes in the state's Wheatbelt region, one in Shackleton in the shire of Bruce Rock, about 200 kilometres east of Perth, and another near Narrogin, about 200 kilometres south-east of Perth.

At about 7pm on Sunday evening the bushfire near Denmark, which destroyed four homes in its path, was downgraded.

Police are investigating the cause of the Bridgetown bushfire and have sent detectives from the specialist arson squad Strike Force Vulcan to the region.

Incident Controller Danny Mosconi confirmed the Bridgetown fire had now been contained but was not yet under control.

It has burned through 2380 hectares of land.

Mr Mosconi said reports of homes and property damaged in Hester were yet to be confirmed.

But it is believed there was minor damage to the shire depot, workshop and office and the water treatment plant.

The golf club was believed to have suffered extensive damage.

The bushfire at Bridgetown doubled in size on Saturday night and razed at least one home. (Supplied)

Mr Mosconi also said damage to the Timber Treaters site in Bridgetown had caused toxic fumes burning treated pine poles

Anyone within a 500-metre radius has been asked to evacuate for their own safety.

"We don't want people in that area to drink any of the water from tanks, to eat any produce from gardens in that area and also not to touch any dust on any play equipment or outside equipment," Mr Mosconi said.

Bridgetown's primary and secondary schools will be closed on Monday.

Man seriously injured at rural property

 Department of Fire and Emergency Service Commissioner Darren Klemm said a man had sustained serious burns while fighting the bushfire on his rural property near Bridgetown and had been taken to hospital.

Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth later confirmed the man was in a critical but stable condition.

Commissioner Klemm said four homes in the Denmark region, on WA's Great Southern coast, had been lost in the fire, and another home had been damaged. Four other structures had also been razed — "outbuildings, chalets, sheds and the like".

A home in Hester, near Bridgetown, had also been razed he said.

The fires had been "extremely challenging" for firefighters, but he said milder weather conditions were expected to assist firefighters in Bridgetown today and tomorrow.

Commissioner Klemm said the Bridgetown fire, currently still at emergency warning level, was expected to be contained and under control by the end of the day.

However, westerly winds in Denmark will continue to pose challenges for firefighters there.

"The message to people in Denmark is that they need to make sure they're enacting their bushfire plan," he said.

Close to 350 firefighters are battling blazes in parts of Bridgetown and Denmark, which have now burned through roughly 5,000 hectares of bushland.

One local resident was badly burned while fighting the Bridgetown fire and is in a critical condition in hospital.(Facebook: Little Hill Farm)

Power has been restored to about 11,000 homes and businesses in the two towns that were without power overnight, however, more than 2,000 properties remain without electricity.

Bridgetown hospital evacuated

In Bridgetown residents of the town, as well as hospital patients and staff, were evacuated on Saturday and at least 200 people gathered at the evacuation centre.

The emergency department was closed on Saturday but has since reopened. However, there are still no plans to move evacuated patients back to the hospital.

Police said the cause of the fire was unknown, but Strike Force Vulcan detectives were investigating.

Bushfire smoke over the town hall in Bridgetown.(Supplied: Michelle Moir Treestays)

The Department of Fire and Emergency Service's duty commissioner Rick Curtis said the fire escalated rapidly on Saturday afternoon.

He said there were reports of impacted properties to the north and north-east of the town.

Firefighters worked through the night battling the blaze at Hester, near Bridgetown. (DFES: Evan Collis)

An emergency warning remains in place for parts of Hester, Hester Brook, Bridgetown, Greenbushes, Catterick and Kangaroo Gully.

A bushfire watch and act alert is in place for Catterick, North Greenbushes, Benjinup, Winnejup and Kangaroo Valley.

Fire crews worked through the night to build containment lines in Denmark.(Supplied: Emily Harper)

The fire started near the intersection of Hester Cascades Road and South Western Highway in Hester Brook. Some Bridgetown residents were allowed back into their homes today to retrieve essentials. However, police are now redirecting vehicles away from the town.

Some residents were allowed back into their Bridgetown homes to retrieve essentials as a the bushfire continued to threaten the town. (ABC News: Herlyn Kaur)

Residents in Boyup Brook have been advised by the Water Corporation to limit their water use, after the fire cut power to the pump stations supplying the town's water tank.

The fire at Hester, near Bridgetown in WA's South West, is feared to have destroyed properties. (DFES: Evan Collis)

Water will be carted to the town to supplement the supply when possible, the corporation said.

More than 180 people slept at an evacuation centre set up in Manjimup overnight.

Denmark residents fear for their homes

Many residents near Denmark had spent the night not knowing if their property had fallen victim to the flames after the fire barrelled towards the town.

McLeod Road resident Susan Asher feared her house might be gone and on Sunday authorities confirmed four homes in the region had been lost and another home had been damaged.

The scene near Denmark on Saturday.(Supplied)

"[There was] black massive smoke, a red glow and the noise was awful," she said.

"It's terrifying … it just went crazy."

"We were told they were there until midnight last night. The concern is it might be lost as the power's gone out, there's no water pressure.

"They said it was standing last night, [but] with the change of wind … we don't have a clue.

"I think it's gone. I hope it's not."

A bushfire watch and act alert is in place for parts of Shadforth and Scotsdale after the blaze was downgraded late on Sunday.

The Bridgetown bushfire, which burnt throughout the night, has affected power and water supplies to nearby areas. (DFES: Evan Collis)

The fire is stationary but is still out of control and unpredictable, say local authorities.

Youtube How to prepare for bushfires | Emergency Tips

 About 190 firefighters are at the scene and are working to consolidate all boundaries.

The fire was first reported just before 9:30am on Friday. 

Shackleton bushfire escalates to include Corrigin, Kulin

Not good, Babakin, CORRIGIN. Look after people first, other stuff can be rebuilt. pic.twitter.com/nn3NMyWFyG

— Simon Wallwork (@WallworkSimon) February 6, 2022

The Shackleton bushfire emergency warning area includes the townships of Corrigin and Kulin.

It is bounded by Carger Road and Ardath West Road to the north, Eujiyn South Road, Babakin North Road, Parsons Road, Bruce Rock-Corrigin, Corrigin-Kondinin Road to the east, Bullaring-Gorge Rock Road to the south and Shackleton-Bilbarin Road to the west.

The fire is moving rapidly in a south-westerly direction and residents are advised to shelter in place as authorities say it is too late to leave.

About 140 firefighters are battling the blaze and strengthening containment lines.

Babakin Primary School will be closed on Monday.

Narrogin blaze elevated to emergency warning

Late on Sunday afternoon, a fire near Narrogin was also elevated to an emergency level.

The warning is in place for the Wickepin townsite and east of Narrogin in parts of Yillimining, Boundain, Nomans Lake and Toolibin in the shire of Narrogin.

The fire, which was reported just after 10:30am, was moving in an easterly direction and was not contained or controlled, with flames reaching two metres high, the alert said.

About 100 firefighters were at the scene and aerial support had been sent to assist ground crews.

Links

• WA bushfires linked to climate change as homes lost
• WA fires fuelled by 'changing climate', authorities say, as emergency warnings downgraded
• (Scientific American) Fires Doubled Australia’s Carbon Emissions—Ecosystems May Never Soak It Back Up
• (AU ENS) Australia Links Increasing Megafires To Climate Change
• 2021: A Year Of Climate Crisis In Review
• (AU NYT) First Fires, Then Floods: Climate Extremes Batter Australia