Home lost as bushfires threaten in Perth

[Tony]

Bushfires are threatening homes in two Perth suburbs, with one house already destroyed.

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) confirmed the Brindle Road home was lost as the fire passed through the northeastern suburb of Parkerville.

FESA incident controller Bruce Jones said paramedics treated one firefighter for heat exhaustion.

The blaze has now reached the neighbouring suburb of Stoneville and is heading towards Mt Helena.

FESA said lives and at least 30 homes could be at risk in the area between Stoneville Road, Cameron Road, Alice Road and Anketell Road.

FESA warned residents who choose to stay at home to prepare for the bushfire to pass through the area.

Mr Jones said helicopters, 150 firefighters and 50 fire trucks and other appliances were trying to contain the fire.

"The priorities are any life risk and property," Mr Jones told ABC Radio.

"We've got crews who are specifically tasked with dealing with houses that are being directly threatened by the fire.

"We have heavy machinery that are working on one flank - in effect what we are trying to do is pinch the fire off so that we can get to the head fire, contain that and then start the long hours of containment and mop up."

Mr Jones said he was confident of containing the fire provided there were no dramatic wind changes.

He would not say when the fire might be contained.

The fire has also destroyed a number of outhouses, burning out more than 650 hectares and killing up to 100 sheep and other animals, including kangaroos.

Another bushfire has damaged one home as it heads towards the northern suburb of Cullacabardee.

FESA said there was a potential risk to people and property as the fire passed through the area.

[Tony]

WA highway still closed due to bushfire

A West Australian highway on which three men died in a bushfire remained closed on Friday as winds fanned the flames to its north.

The three men's trucks were engulfed in fire after they were told it was safe to drive on the Great Eastern Highway between Coolgardie and Southern Cross on Sunday night.

The fire, which is believed to have been deliberately lit, has devastated more than 30,000 hectares of the Boorabbin National Park and crown land as it continues to burn north and south of the highway.

Department of Environment and Conservation Incident Controller Peter Keppel said the fire south of the road had been contained but variable winds had caused the fire north of the highway to flare.

"At this stage the earliest possible time the highway could be reopened is tomorrow morning," Mr Keppel said in a statement.

"We have bulldozers and other machines working on this section of the fire this morning.

"Winds mainly are from the east which should help keep the fire north of the highway.

"Temperatures today again are in the 40s which adds to the potential for further fire runs."

The three men killed were Lewis Bedford and Robert Taylor, from Two Rocks in Perth's northern outskirts, and Trevor Murley, from Hovea, east of Perth.

The highway at Coolgardie was reopened to the men and a convoy of other truck drivers on Sunday night despite warnings a potentially dangerous wind change was expected.

It has since remained closed but detours are in place.

Police are preparing a report for coroner Alistair Hope.

[Tony]

WA bushfires close wheatbelt roads

Bushfires in the West Australian wheatbelt have forced the closure of several roads including a popular four-wheel-drive adventure trail.

The Holland Track has been partly closed due to a blaze in the Jilbadji Nature Reserve, about 80km south-east of Southern Cross, and part of the Forrestania Road in the reserve has also been closed.

Lightning strikes on Tuesday started the south-west fires, one of which has burnt more than 50,000 hectares of the Jilbadji reserve, the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) says.

The fire is not threatening private property although there is mining infrastructure to the south.

Meanwhile, DEC firefighters and volunteers are working to contain several fires in Fitzgerald River National Park, on the south coast, which houses the critically endangered western ground parrot in its river valleys and remote coastal mountains.

The western side of the internationally renowned conservation park has been closed to the public.