Guest Ams Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 http://www.news.com.au/national/western-australia/out-of-control-blaze-threatening-homes-lives-east-of-parkerville/story-fnii5thn-1226799611267 AN emergency warning has been issued for an out of control and unpredictable fire in Parkerville, with flames up to 20m high. Residents were told to evacuate if safe to do so, but the latest warning is that it is too late to leave homes. It has been reported that flames are very close to properties. The Department of Fire and Emergency Services say people in the area are in danger and need to act immediately as there is a threat to lives and homes. Homes east of Parkerville are in danger from the blaze, which started between Johnson Road and Granite Road and is burning towards Stoneville Road. DFES says the bushfire is moving fast in a south easterly direction, with burning embers likely to be blown around homes. Spot fires are starting up to 100m ahead of the fire. A number of roads have been closed in the area. What to do: It is too late to leave, leaving now would be deadly. You need to shelter in your home and actively defend it. Go to a room away from the fire front and make sure you can easily escape. Choose a room with two exits and water such as a kitchen or laundry. You must shelter before the fire arrives, as the extreme heat will kill you well before the flames reach you. Protect yourself by wearing long sleeves and trousers, made from cotton or wool, and strong leather boots. If your home catches on fire and the conditions inside become unbearable, you need to get out and go to an area that has already been burnt. Last resort: If it is not safe to shelter in your home, a safer place you can go to is a local open space, shed, swimming pool, dam or building where you may go to seek shelter from a bushfire. This will give you some protection from the effects of a bushfire. Take water, woollen blankets and wear protective clothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 There are a few fires around Perth currently but that one is the worst at the moment. I know further down south they are also evacuating. Fingers crossed for everyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Just heard that 20 homes have been lost so far. Fire is very much out of control and moving very fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Those poor people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 (edited) I believe there has also been loss of life and also that for some they haven't had time to evacuate due to the speed of the fire. My thoughts are with all affected by this, and our firies who work so hard Edited January 12, 2014 by OSoSwift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indigirl Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Bush fires are just so horrific Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinabean Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 I believe there has also been loss of life and also that for some they haven't had time to evacuate due to the speed of the fire. My thoughts are with all affected by this, and our firies who work so hard Those poor people had so little warning. According to this news report, residents in Mundaring were told just after midday to leave. Less than 30 minutes later they were told that it was too late to leave, they would have to stay and defend their homes. And I feel for the firies too, some of them are suffering heatstroke. A hell of a day to fight a fire in these temperatures. One dead and homes lost in Hills blaze Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poochmad Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Saw this on the news this morning. We were there only at Christmas time as my in-laws live at the bottom of the hill in Ellenbrook. Interestingly, we ended up discussing the potential for fires in the hills region as it had been a couple of years since the last one. It looked pretty frightening how quickly it was moving and worse still seeing property owners running for their lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mita Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 What to do: It is too late to leave, leaving now would be deadly. You need to shelter in your home and actively defend it. Go to a room away from the fire front and make sure you can easily escape. Choose a room with two exits and water such as a kitchen or laundry. You must shelter before the fire arrives, as the extreme heat will kill you well before the flames reach you. Protect yourself by wearing long sleeves and trousers, made from cotton or wool, and strong leather boots. If your home catches on fire and the conditions inside become unbearable, you need to get out and go to an area that has already been burnt. Last resort: If it is not safe to shelter in your home, a safer place you can go to is a local open space, shed, swimming pool, dam or building where you may go to seek shelter from a bushfire. This will give you some protection from the effects of a bushfire. Take water, woollen blankets and wear protective clothing. That's a good summary of advice. Thanks for posting. I heard on the ABC News that quite a few homes have been destroyed. Here's hoping it can be contained. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yonjuro Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 Yeah, It's pretty bloody awful 44 homes lost so far Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ams Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 What to do: It is too late to leave, leaving now would be deadly. You need to shelter in your home and actively defend it. Go to a room away from the fire front and make sure you can easily escape. Choose a room with two exits and water such as a kitchen or laundry. You must shelter before the fire arrives, as the extreme heat will kill you well before the flames reach you. Protect yourself by wearing long sleeves and trousers, made from cotton or wool, and strong leather boots. If your home catches on fire and the conditions inside become unbearable, you need to get out and go to an area that has already been burnt. Last resort: If it is not safe to shelter in your home, a safer place you can go to is a local open space, shed, swimming pool, dam or building where you may go to seek shelter from a bushfire. This will give you some protection from the effects of a bushfire. Take water, woollen blankets and wear protective clothing. That's a good summary of advice. Thanks for posting. I heard on the ABC News that quite a few homes have been destroyed. Here's hoping it can be contained. I can't take credit for the advice, I just cut and pasted the story in case the link didn't work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mita Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 (edited) Ams, I realized that you just passed on that summary. Onya for doing so. It's excellent. I've now done the same as you... & passed it on to a number of relatives & friends who live in fire-prone areas. Yonjuro, the count's sure gone up, since I heard the news much earlier today. That total is now nearly double. Conditions must be dreadful. Edited January 13, 2014 by mita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivory & Beau Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 I'm doing a pick up of donated goods in my area and taking them to the various drop off points in the hills. Plus I've put my name down to help with some animals in need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mita Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 I'm doing a pick up of donated goods in my area and taking them to the various drop off points in the hills. Plus I've put my name down to help with some animals in need. Does that mean there's some central recording point where people can indicate they'll help with animals. If so, excellent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivory & Beau Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 I'm doing a pick up of donated goods in my area and taking them to the various drop off points in the hills. Plus I've put my name down to help with some animals in need. Does that mean there's some central recording point where people can indicate they'll help with animals. If so, excellent! Yeah there is. I have filled out the form with my information and they'll gather it and I guess contact everyone. Jacquie Humphrey of Dog Logics lives in the middle of the fire zone. I've spoken to her about an hour ago and she stayed till 4:30pm to fight the fire but it got too bad, so she's left with her dogs. She's safe with all her dogs at a friends place. She has no idea if her home is safe yet She had to leave her sheep behind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mita Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 Does that mean there's some central recording point where people can indicate they'll help with animals. If so, excellent! Yeah there is. I have filled out the form with my information and they'll gather it and I guess contact everyone. That's good, Ivy. Means people with pets in need can quickly get on to people who'll help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 There are 44 homes confirmed lost with the potential for more. Last I heard it was contained but not as yet under control - that was a little while ago now though. Yes Many people just didn't have time to get out as it was moving so fast. Just terrible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dian11 Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 I totally agree with you :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tibbie_tabbie Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 I've also registered to help temp care. This morning the Best Friends rescue managed to evac all 18 dogs to Southern River. It's amazing the amount of assistance and help that is being offered. They asked for no more drop offs or vollies at the centres as they have too many! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinabean Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 Thankfully it's cooler here today. Residents are still waiting to be allowed back in. The fate of the animals and pets in the fire zone is still uncertain for many. Perth Hills residents to visit homes destroyed by bushfire AM Updated 1 hour 20 minutes ago Video: Emotional scenes at Perth Hills community meeting (ABC News) Photo: The remains of a house on Kalari Way, Stoneville, in the Perth Hills. (ABC News: Jessica Strutt) Related Story: Crews save hundreds more Perth Hills homes from destruction Map: Stoneville 6081 Perth Hills residents whose homes were destroyed by a bushfire over the weekend will be allowed supervised visits to their properties today to assess the damage. Fifty-two buildings were razed by the blaze, which started in Parkerville before spreading to Stoneville on Sunday and burning through almost 400 hectares. The fire has now been brought under control and Western Australia's Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) says its investigators believe the blaze was started by a power pole on private land. Hundreds of residents who were evacuated have up until now been unable to return home as authorities deemed the risk too hot and dangerous. Most people whose properties were destroyed in the blaze have now been informed of their loss, but authorities say there are some residents on holiday or overseas who have not yet been contacted. Evacuee Paula Sajtinac lost her home and everything she owned in the 2008 Stoneville Parkerville bushfire and had feared the house she rebuilt was destroyed again. "I'm heartbroken, I just remember the feelings of being displaced, the hopelessness," she told ABC's AM. "All my friends and family are saying 'Oh no, not again'. "What do I do? It's horrible. I want to know myself and I won't rest until I've seen it because I've lost one before. 'Like a scene from Apocalypse Now' ABC News producer Tony Carr tells the experience of leaving his home in Stoneville behind with his wife and son as firefighters water-bombed overhead. Ms Sajtinac says she has been told her home is still standing. Stoneville resident Fleur Adams says her house was "right in the hot spot", so it has been an anxious wait to find out what is left. "I don't know if I want to know what's happened," she said. "We're landscaping the house at the moment. We're renovating as well. It's just like, what's going to be there? What will be left? "We're building and creating a new house for ourselves, one that's us. It's just been started, we're pouring us into it." Up until now Ms Sajtinac and her partner Jeff Bromilow have been getting information from a neighbour who stayed to fight the fire. "He's lost his verandah. He says the weirdest thing is walking outside and seeing your clothes line as a lump of plastic," she said. "He says he can see our place, it looks reasonable but he's not venturing further forward." Gallery: Gallery: Homes lost in WA bushfire DFES Superintendent Gary Baxter has told ABC News Breakfast that authorities will use the "utmost compassion" when taking residents to view their properties. "We understand that they want to get in there as quickly as they can but safety is paramount," he said. "We will do whatever we can throughout the next couple of days to make sure that everything is in order before and after they have a look at their properties that counselling and the like is in place." Video: WA Fire Incident Controller Gary Baxter speaks with ABC News Breakfast (ABC News) Emergency Services Commissioner Wayne Gregson says there are still safety concerns in the area. "So the overwhelming focus now is on safety, we don't want anybody going back to survey the damage, to go through their homes, unless we're comfortable that the roads are safe, that the power poles that have come down are safely looked after," he said. Superintendent Baxter says all indicators now point to the cause of the fire being from a privately owned power pole in the region. He says the extreme weather conditions meant once the fire started, it was hard to control. But the State Government says the situation could have been worse and up to 450 houses could have been lost if it was not for the fast response from emergency services. Welfare of animals and pets uncertain The welfare of animals and household pets trapped in the fire zone remains uncertain. Mundaring Shire president Helen Dullard says it has been a frustrating wait for residents to learn the fate of their pets. "Even the rangers can't get back in to look after and look at some of those animals that we know are still in there," she said. "As soon as we can get in, we've got a list of people who've got concerns for their animals." Mrs Dullard says she has been warned by her colleagues around Australia that it will take some time for residents and the community to recover from the fire. She says Blue Mountains mayor Mark Greenhill, who recently experienced a similar bushfire, has contacted her to offer support. "I had a call from the mayor ... yesterday who's willing to support me through this as we support the residents through this and he said the tough time is ahead for all of us and it is going to take time," she said. "He said it's just horrendous as the shock sets in and people realise how they're unable to do things that they thought they'd be able to do. "There's insurance and there's building regulations and there's this and there's that and there's a lack of sufficient electricians and it just mounts up, so it gets frustrating." Those wanting to help residents who have lost homes or belongings are being asked to donate to the Lord Mayor's Distress Relief Fund. Meanwhile, with the temperature forecast to reach 29 degrees today, firefighters are optimistic they can contain the fire. The Federal Government has activated disaster recovery payments for affected residents for up to $1,000 per adult and $400 per child. Attorney-General George Brandis says the money is available now. Affected residents can contact the Government's hotline on 180 22 66. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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