Perth, Australia (AP) — A fast-moving wildfire on the northern edge of Perth has led to the evacuation of dozens of residents and the destruction of at least 10 homes, authorities said Thursday. The blaze, fueled by heat wave conditions, has caused minor injuries to several firefighters and power outages for hundreds of homes.
The fire broke out in a pine tree plantation on Perth’s northeast edge on Wednesday afternoon, and strong winds overnight have caused the fire to spread rapidly. The cause of the fire is still under investigation as temperatures in Perth are expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) on Thursday.
“The conditions that our firefighters and our support staff are working on are really challenging due to the heat wave,” said incident controller Clinton Kuchel.
Damage to power poles has left 544 homes without power, and around 130 people sought refuge in an evacuation center overnight. Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti noted that the forecast for the day is “unforgiving” with high temperatures and strong winds expected to persist.
Authorities anticipate that it will take several days for the 150 firefighters battling the blaze to bring it under control. In the suburb of Tapping, resident Sarah Kilian and her husband opted to stay and defend their home, experiencing a chaotic and frightening night as embers rained down on their neighborhood.
