Australia: Car Crash Sparks Bushfire That Has Destroyed 70,000 Hectares So Far

Residents in several communities in Western Australia (WA) have been told that it is too late to leave as the major bushfire has flared and continued to burn nearby. The fire which was triggered by a fatal car crash which occurred on Monday in the Shire of Dandaragan, about 170 km north of Perth, has cut evacuation routes and razed more than 70,000 hectares of scrub. On Friday, the WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) issued an emergency warning to residents of the small coastal town of Cervantes, and nearby communities advising them to take shelter from the approaching fire.An emergency warning remains in place for parts of Wedge Island, Grey, Cervantes, Nambung and Cooljarloo."You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. There is a threat to lives and homes. It is too late to leave. Fire has impacted evacuation routes and leaving now will put your life in danger," the alert said according to Xinhua news. Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm said it had been an “incredibly challenging” week, as per The Guardian.“The fire is about 3 km from [Cervantes],” he said.“Containment lines have held firm in Cervantes and Wedge, while sand dunes are protecting the Grey community,” he further added. He said that the firefighters were using every tool available “to bring this fire under control the situation” however, it still remains challenging. Two large air tankers from eastern states joined the battle against the blaze on Thursday.Authorities warned that hot weather and strong winds forecast for Friday could make containment efforts more challenging. Klemm said that possible thunderstorms could bring lightning and ignite more fires, with little rain forecast.About 37 residents in Wedge and Grey chose to stay back in their communities as the blaze spread through roads in and out of the villages. The bushfire is moving in a westerly direction and is not contained or controlled, according to the Department of Fire and Emergency Services. More than 200 firefighters are battling the blaze.