Authorities issued an urgent plea to the Bridgetown community on Saturday, asking all residents in the townsite to evacuate as an emergency warning was also issued for Hester Brook late in the evening.
“Take action now” was the message DFES Assistant Commissioner Rick Curtis had for the small southwest community of Bridgetown on Saturday afternoon.
It came as an out-of-control bushfire barreled towards parts of the community, and those in Hester Brook.
Several residents caught in the fire zone in Bridgetown were forced to flee to Blackwood River.
The West Australian understands the community members felt they had no choice but to flee to the water after finding their route out of the under-threat townsite blocked.
At least 14 St John Ambulance crews raced to the Bridgetown community in response to an emergency alert that was issued for the area earlier on Saturday afternoon, as well as parts of Hester Brook.
At least one man who suffered very serious burns has already been picked up by firefighters from a property just outside of Bridgetown.
Believed to be in his 60s, he is being rushed to hospital by DFES, with conditions in the town too dangerous to allow paramedics to enter.
Bridgetown Hospital was evacuated as a precaution and a nursing home in the community had also just been forced to clear out.
As more than 150 firefighters battle the bushfire raging through the Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes, a dramatic wind change has sparked catastrophe for residents in Hester.
An emergency warning was issued for the small locality about 7km north of Bridgetown just before 9pm on Saturday night, with residents told it was too late to leave and that they would need to shelter in their homes to try and survive.
“You must shelter before the fire arrives, as the extreme heat will kill you well before the flames reach you,” the alert warned.
It came as firefighters raced to try and save a sawmill within the small town that had been engulfed in flames.
Nearby are dozens of homes.
The out-of-control bushfire, which started just after 1pm on Saturday, had already burned through 1700ha by 9pm.
150 fireys are on the ground battling the blaze, supported by SES, police and paramedics.
Residents at Geegeelup Village were forced to flee on Saturday afternoon as the situation rapidly worsened.
Hundreds of cars can currently be seen leaving the townsite, with the long queue snaking down hundreds of metres of road.
The St John Ambulance commander is also responding to the emergency, with the blaze being treated as a major incident.
Fueled by strong winds, extremely hot weather conditions and challenging terrain, Mr Curtis admitted the blaze was “causing really rapid and difficult fire behaviour” for fire crews.
Despite a number of emergency bushfire warnings across the state, including one just hours to the southeast in the popular tourist town of Denmark, Mr Roe admitted the Bridgetown blaze was “perhaps the more urgent matter for us at the moment”.
“In the sense that we’re really urging community members in and around the Bridgetown town site, to the north, in particular, to really understand ... the situation ... and to take action now and move themselves to the Manjimup evacuation centre,” he said on 6PR.
“We’ve mobilised a significant amount of air and ground resources and we’re now asking the community within Bridgetown to move themselves away.”
West Bridgetown residents Paul Willis and his wife evacuated town the moment they saw the warning from DFES.
Having lived in town for three years this is the pair’s first major bushfire warning.
In tow the couple took their three dogs, two horses, cat and chicken.
“We left as soon as we saw the message about the fire,” Mr Willis said.
“I’m hoping we can head back home tonight, hopefully no one is hurt.”
Anne Riverton’s husband and son decided to fight the fire from their property on Steere Street.
Mrs Riverton said she was “very worried” about her daughter who lives in Hester.
Mrs Riverton said she knew the signs of fire well and was not taking any chances, deciding to evacuate before it was too dangerous.
The emergency warning was issued on Saturday afternoon for people bounded by South West Highway, Bridgetown-Boyup Brook to Kendall Road, and Hester Cascades Road in the Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes.
Residents in the area are in danger and need to act immediately. If the way is clear, leave now.
The blaze, which started about 1.15pm near the intersection of Hester Cascades Road and South Western Highway in Hester Brook, is moving fast in a south-westerly direction.
It is out of control and unpredictable.
Motorists are being asked to avoid the area, reduce speed and drive carefully due to smoke.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMijQFodHRwczovL3d3dy5wZXJ0aG5vdy5jb20uYXUvbmV3cy93YS9oZXN0ZXItYnJvb2stYnJpZGdldG93bi1idXNoZmlyZS1yZXNpZGVudHMtdG9sZC10by1sZWF2ZS1ub3ctYXMtYmxhemUtdGhyZWF0ZW5zLWxpdmVzLWFuZC1ob21lcy1jLTU1Nzk4OTbSAQA?oc=5
2022-02-05 13:23:00Z
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