Lives and homes at risk as fire nears some Perth suburbs

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Jan 05, 2021 06:00 am

PERTH: An out-of-control bush fire threatened lives and homes in Australian city Perth yesterday.

Residents in several suburbs south of Perth have been warned to be on watch as around 150 firefighters battled a blaze which has razed more than 230ha since Saturday.

The local emergency department downgraded the fire from the earlier "emergency" level, but warned there was still "a possible threat to lives and homes as a fire is burning in the area and conditions are changing".

It is not known what triggered the fire. Hazardous and reeking fumes emanating from a burning rubbish tip are also causing concern, with locals told to "shelter in place for safety".

There are other wildfires in and around the Perth metropolitan area too, including one that forced the evacuation of a retirement village on Sunday in the south-east suburb of Gosnells. - AFP