Authorities on Thursday morning issued an emergency warning for a life-threatening bushfire burning near the Perth Airport in Western Australia (WA).
A warning issued shortly before 6 a.m. local time by the WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) said that residents in the Kalamunda region, 15 km east of central Perth and 5 km from the city’s international airport, should leave immediately.
The DFES said that an out-of-control bushfire moving in a northerly direction posed a threat to lives and homes and that residents need to act immediately to survive.
It said that people in the affected area should leave in a westerly direction if it is safe to do so, reports Xinhua news agency.
“Do not wait and see, leaving at the last minute could put your life in danger,” the warning said.
Anyone who tries to leave and becomes stuck in their car has been advised to cover themselves with a woollen blanket and get onto the floor of the vehicle in case intense heat causes the windows to break.
The DFES said that people who are unable to leave the area should prepare to shelter in their home in a room with running water and a clear exit.
“You must shelter before the fire arrives, as the extreme heat will kill you before the flames reach you,” it said.
Kalamunda and the neighbouring affected suburbs of Maida Vale and Forrestfield had a combined population of around 25,000 people at the time of the 2021 national census.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that power lines are down in the warning area and several roads have been closed, but that Perth Airport has not been affected by the fire.
