Western Australia’s wildfire season has exploded into crisis mode, with a ferocious bushfire in the south forcing residents from their homes and sealing off vital roadways. Friday’s DFES bulletin from the Fitzgerald River National Park—deep in the state’s southeast, 420 km from Perth—declared an active threat to human life and structures.
Lightning-lit on January 16, the fire has devoured over 60,000 hectares by morning. Ravensthorpe and surrounding areas, home to 2,000, got the call: evacuate now if possible. The advisory cut no corners: ‘Danger is real—act to save yourself.’ Heatwave conditions make staying a gamble, confined to homes only as a last resort.
Highway blockades west of Ravensthorpe redirect flows to Newdegate’s shelter. Part of four blazes tearing through southwest bush, it’s surging northeast unchecked. Evacuations target 1,500 in four Perth-fringe towns 120 km southeast, as embers leap barriers.
Watch-and-prepare notices hit Dunn Rock Nature Reserve and Green Range, signaling potential flare-ups. Proactive planning collided with nature’s fury, amplifying the blaze’s reach. Fire services marshal aerial and ground assaults, but unpredictable weather tests their mettle. This event underscores climate-driven fire risks, galvanizing national support for beleaguered frontline towns.