Chaos grips southern Western Australia as an out-of-control bushfire prompts emergency evacuations and roadblocks, reshaping daily life in affected regions. The DFES alert hit Friday, spotlighting Fitzgerald River National Park, 420 km southeast of Perth, where a lightning-ignited inferno from January 16 has charred 60,000+ hectares.
Ravensthorpe’s roughly 2,000 locals and passersby face stark orders: leave while routes hold. ‘You’re at risk—move fast to survive,’ it warned. Defiers must hunker down against blistering heat inside. A key highway to the west is off-limits, with Newdegate hosting relief northwards.
This marks one of four southwest megafires, barreling northeast voraciously. Some 1,500 from four small towns 120 km southeast of Perth pack up under mandate, as flames encroach. Moderate alerts blanket Dunn Rock, 60 km north, and Green Range, 130 km southwest, pushing readiness.
Preemptive measures proved prescient against the blaze’s momentum. Responders confront tinder-dry fuel and gusts, racing to curb spread. The incident spotlights vulnerabilities in remote areas, spurring coordinated state responses and aid. As ash clouds linger, communities brace for fallout, prioritizing human safety above all in this fiery ordeal.