PERTH, Australia (AP) – An uncontrolled fire burning northeast of Perth on the west coast of Australia has destroyed at least 56 homes and threatened more on Tuesday, with many residents in the region saying it was too late to leave.
The 7,000-hectare (17,000-acre) flame, which has a perimeter of 80 kilometers, started on Monday and stole all night near the town of Wooroloo, with stables in Mundaring, Chittering, Northam and the town of Swan affected.
The losses were expected to increase as teams continued their damage assessments, said Commissioner Darren Klemm of the Western Australian Fire and Emergency Services Department.
One firefighter was treated for smoke inhalation and another received a superficial ear burn, said Deputy Commissioner Craig Waters. No other injuries were reported.
The fire doubled in size overnight and burned 7,366 hectares (18,202 acres) of farm and forest, Waters said.
“Strong winds prevent us from entering and containing the fire and controlling it,” he said.
State Prime Minister Mark McGowan said 80% of all property in Tilden Park near Gidgegannup on the north-eastern edge of Perth has been lost.
McGowan said a large oil tanker was flying off Australia’s east coast to help fight the blaze.
“This is an extremely dangerous fire and a serious situation. The weather is extremely volatile, “said McGowan.
“Please do everything you can to keep yourself and your family safe and to take care of each other,” he added.
People 25 kilometers (16 miles) west of Wooroloo in Walyunga National Park, northeast of Perth, were told on Tuesday that it had become too dangerous to leave their homes.
“You must take shelter before the fire arrives, because the extreme heat will kill you long before the flames reach you,” the latest warning said.
Roads from the semi-rural suburbs Calves on the northern outskirts of Perth were regularly congested, causing some people to choose to stay.
Melissa Stahl, 49, took into account a text telling her to evacuate.
“I smelled fire and went out in the back and the whole yard was full of smoke,” she said. “I took bed linen, photos, the two children and the dog and got out of there.”
A warning to other threatened areas told people to leave if they were not prepared to fight the flame. The bush fire is unpredictable and weather conditions are changing rapidly, the warning said, urging people to remain vigilant.
The cause of the fire was unknown.
The superintendent of the Fire and Emergency Services Department, Peter Sutton, said about 250 firefighters were fighting the irregular fire.
“It made it very difficult, almost impossible … to suppress this fire,” Sutton said.
Wildfires are common during the current summer in the southern hemisphere. However, the season was light on the south-east coast of Australia, which was devastated by massive fires last summer.