Bushfires destroy town in Western Australia

Bushfires destroy town in Western Australia
By Euronews with Reuters
Share this articleComments
Share this articleClose Button
Copy/paste the article video embed link below:Copy to clipboardCopied

Very little is left of Yarloop, south of Perth. Emergency services struggle to tackle the huge blaze which is spreading to other towns nearby.

  • Historic town devastated by bushfire
  • Blaze spreading to other areas
  • Flames fanned by 60km gusts of wind
  • Scroll down to see aerial shots of damage

What is happening?

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

NEWS JUST IN – All three people reported missing from #Yarloop have now been accounted for #7Newspic.twitter.com/0pP73u4tfo

— 7 News Perth (@7NewsPerth) January 8, 2016

Joy amid the #Yarloop despair with three missing residents found safe and sound https://t.co/Te6UIQoVLR#wanewspic.twitter.com/B55kl63Bl5

— WAtoday (@WAtoday) January 8, 2016

#WaroonaFire AUDIO: dfes_wa</a> Commissioner Wayne Gregson with an update on bushfires <a href="https://t.co/vvs9JHUK7v">https://t.co/vvs9JHUK7v</a> <a href="https://t.co/sokA8qopKT">pic.twitter.com/sokA8qopKT</a></p>&mdash; 720 ABC Perth (720perth) January 8, 2016

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.

The fire generates its own weather system

WA fire: Yarloop blaze creates own weather system, causing further grief for WA firefighters https://t.co/CoBcfHQ93h via <a href="https://twitter.com/abcnews">abcnews

— Stella Lee (@Purfylle) January 8, 2016

What about the residents?

Evacuees from #Yarloop arrive at Pinjarra centre after terrifying night on sport oval after home lost abcnewsPerth</a> <a href="https://t.co/86u6n41FqW">pic.twitter.com/86u6n41FqW</a></p>&mdash; Laura Gartry (LGartry) January 8, 2016

Kath King's husband John was missing all night in Yarloop fire. He arrived at friend's house this morn abcnewsPerth</a> <a href="https://t.co/yVNCPFIyd4">pic.twitter.com/yVNCPFIyd4</a></p>&mdash; RoxanneTaylor (Roxanne_Taylor) January 8, 2016

Two #Yarloop residents embrace after running into each other at Pinjarra evac centre, both lost homes abcnewsPerth</a> <a href="https://t.co/xE4cWqBZV2">pic.twitter.com/xE4cWqBZV2</a></p>&mdash; Laura Gartry (LGartry) January 8, 2016

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.”

### In pictures – the Waroona fire

Yarloop devastated by bushfire with 95 homes lost, but missing people now found https://t.co/Wgu7CzVsqA#WaroonaFirepic.twitter.com/um8pica4Lu

— wacountryhour (@wacountryhour) January 8, 2016

Before and after. Yarloop Hall. 7NewsPerth</a> <a href="https://t.co/BVAXZI06Yg">pic.twitter.com/BVAXZI06Yg</a></p>&mdash; Blake Johnson (BlakeJohnson) January 8, 2016

Yarloop pub burns down as bushfires ravage the South West WA town. https://t.co/oZbcDGDS1o#waroona#wafirespic.twitter.com/QWsJVBtTGe

— ABC News Perth (@abcnewsPerth) January 8, 2016

Dozens of homes destroyed by #Yarloop#bushfire. Follow our #blog for #live coverage https://t.co/C9AuS0ly8Ypic.twitter.com/Rdmdhqj9mu

— ABC News (@abcnews) January 8, 2016

DPAW tells ABC only 30 houses left standing in Yarloop. #perthnews#wanews#WaroonaFirepic.twitter.com/yJiqR0m8Xc

— Graeme Powell (@GraemePowell3) January 7, 2016

View from mine looking South last night around 10.15pm. Hope all are safe down there… #Yarloop#WaroonaFirepic.twitter.com/TyDsFrW8qm

— Mark Griffin (@JacarandaPhoto) January 7, 2016

A bird’s eye view of the fire damage

Share this articleComments

You might also like

Australia raises alarm as bushfires rage out of control

Fire at shopping centre in Bangladesh capital kills at least 43

Cancer treatment in UK lags behind other comparable countries, study says