PERTH, Australia (AP) – An uncontrolled fire burning northeast of Perth on the west coast of Australia has destroyed about 30 homes and threatened more on Tuesday, with many locals saying it is too late to leave.
The 7,000-hectare (17,000-acre) flame, which has a perimeter of 75 kilometers, started on Monday and lasted all night near the town of Wooroloo, with stables in Mundaring, Chittering, Northam and the town of Swan was affected.
Swan Mayor Kevin Bailey said more than 30 homes were believed to have been destroyed.
“We’re just waiting for the numbers to be confirmed, but we’re looking for more than 30 lost homes,” Bailey said.
Bailey said a firefighter was treated for smoke inhalation. There were no other injuries.
Deputy Commissioner for Fire and Emergency Services of the State of Western Australia, Craig Waters, said the fire doubled in size overnight and burned 7,366 hectares (18,202 acres) of farm and forest.
“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 near Gidgegannup on the north-eastern rural outskirts of Perth had been lost.
Firefighters will investigate whether there have been any casualties, he said.
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,” she added.
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 is unknown.
The superintendent of the Fire and Emergency Services Department, Peter Sutton, said about 250 firefighters were fighting the incorrect behavior of the fires.
“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.