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Communities north of Perth have received fresh warnings this morning as hundreds of firefighters continue battling an expanding bushfire threatening a number of townships.
The fire is moving in multiple directions due to variable winds, impacting those in the WA coastal towns of Wedge and Grey.
The blaze – which was started by a fatal crash on Monday in Mimegarra, north-east of Lancelin – has since burnt through more than 74,892 hectares of land, with a perimeter spanning over 361 kilometres.
Wedge Island and Grey residents have now been told it is too late to leave.
The Evacuation Centre at Jurien Bay Sports and Recreation Centre has closed and will reopen at 8am.
While some road closures remain in place, Indian Ocean Drive between Jurien Bay and Cervantes has reopened to local traffic only.
More than 200 firefighters continue to battle the inferno but their challenges are never ending.
“Yesterday, two volunteer firefighters had a lucky escape when a powerline came down on top of their fire appliance,” Darren Klemm from DFES said.
“They were temporarily trapped in the vehicle until it could be safely removed.”
Aerial support, bolstered by a New South Wales Rural fire service air tanker, will resume at first light while firefighters continue to actively fight the fire from the ground overnight.
They are working with machinery to build containment lines around the Cervantes townsite. Backburning has recommenced this morning to consolidate containment lines.
Cervantes had their alert level downgraded due to weather conditions to a Watch & Act but authorities warn this could yet change to a higher alert again.
This comes after days of emergency threat warnings for the region were finally downgraded.
Parts of Jurien Bay have also had the threat level reduced to a Bushfire Advice, which also extends to parts of Nilgen, Mimegarra and Regans Ford.
People are being asked to avoid the area bound by Bibby Road, Munbinea Road, Cantabilling Road and west of Brand Highway in parts of Hill River, Badingarra, Cooljarloo and Cataby – an area with a Bushfire Advice also in place.
The road closures, flames and smoke have all impacted local businesses, who rely on tourism – especially at this time of year.
“We rely on a lot of tourists and buses and things like that but with the roads being closed that’s impacted our business quite dramatically,” Peter House, general manager of Jurien Bay Beach Cafe told 9News.
“Not just our business, all businesses.”
A handful of homes and businesses in Cervantes, Badgingarra and Nambung are still without power.
Pinnacles Desert Discovery, Hangover Bay, Kangaroo Point, Wedge, Grey and Wanagarren Campground all remain closed.
