WORLD / ASIA-PACIFIC
71 homes destroyed in Australian bushfire
Published: Feb 03, 2021 03:58 PM

People look on as a fire driven by strong winds burns on a ridge in the suburb of Brigadoon in Perth, Australia on Tuesday, forcing emergency evacuations just days after the west coast city entered a coronavirus lockdown. Photo: AFP

At least 71 homes have been destroyed in a bushfire raging out of control near Australia's fourth-biggest city Perth, authorities said Wednesday, as they told residents to ignore a virus lockdown and evacuate threatened areas.

The blaze has torn through large swathes of land in the Perth Hills and was moving towards more densely populated areas.

Six firefighters received minor injuries - including one who officials said suffered burns and continued working to extinguish the blaze - but no deaths or serious injuries have been reported so far.

"To the people who have lost their homes, it's just devastating for them. Our thoughts go out to them," Western Australian fire commissioner Darren Klemm said.

Several emergency warnings were issued with conditions set to worsen later Wednesday and strong gusting winds expected to fan the flames.

The blaze hit a population that had just been forced into a snap lockdown after a security guard in Perth contracted new strain of COVID-19 found in the UK, apparently from a returned traveler in hotel quarantine.

About 2 million people in and around Perth fell under the stay-at-home orders imposed on Sunday.

As the firefront edged nearer to more populated areas, Klemm called on locals to act swiftly to escape the potentially deadly blaze despite the coronavirus restrictions.

"What we don't want is indecision from people about whether they should evacuate or not when we require them to evacuate," he said in a statement.

AFP