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Authorities have issued an emergency warning for a rapidly spreading bushfire in the city of Armadale, in Perth's south, which is being fanned by strong easterly winds.
Key points:
- Residents and schoolchildren have been evacuated in Forrestdale
- The fire has now spread to Harrisdale and Piara Waters
- At least 56 fire appliances are battling the blaze
The warning covers people in an area bounded by Anstey Road, Keane Road, Armadale Road, Tonkin Highway, Rowley Road, Nicholson Road and Armadale Road in Forrestdale.
The fire zone has expanded and a watch and act warning has also been issued for people in nearby Piara Waters and Harrisdale.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) says residents in Forrestdale are in danger and need to act immediately to survive.
It says houses in Broome Street, Old Forrest Road, Signet Place and Leake Street are being threatened by the blaze, which started near the intersection of Forrest Road and Tonkin Highway.
Forrestdale Primary School evacuated
Forrestdale Primary School is in Broome Street and students and staff have been evacuated.
The fire is also headed towards a second school in the area, and a DFES spokeswoman said that school was also "putting its bushfire evacuation plan in place".
"All the kids are safe and the smoke has not impacted on them," she said.
The students had been transported to Neerigen Brook Primary School in neighbouring Brookdale, from where parents could pick them up.
High temperatures, strong winds fan flames
The spokeswoman said the fast-moving fire was being fanned by strong winds.
Yesterday fire authorities warned Perth residents to be prepared for bushfires amid a five-day run of temperatures above 35 degrees that began on Wednesday.
"The winds are a real concern for us at the moment, and they're pushing the fire in a north westerly direction," she said.
No relief from the wind conditions was expected for 24 hours, and firefighters had been put on rolling rosters.
"The fire has jumped over Tonkin Highway southeast of Forrest Road and we are unable to stop it," she said.
Neighbouring areas warned to prepare
The watch and act warning is for people in an area bounded by Anstey Road, Ranford Road, Warton Road, Armadale Road, Liddelow Road, Gibbs Road and Nicholson Road in Piara Waters and Harrisdale.
Residents in those areas are being warned to leave or be prepared to actively defend their property.
At least 56 fire appliances are at the scene and air tankers are also dumping water on the fires.
The affected area is adjacent to the Armadale Golf Club and Forrestdale Lake Nature Reserve.
The DFES spokeswoman said a community evacuation centre had been set up by the Department for Child Protection and Family Support at the Armadale Arena, but it was not known how many residents had left their homes.
Tonkin Highway is closed in both directions from Rowley Road to Randford Road in Forrestdale, as is Forrest Road, and motorists have been advised to avoid the area.
The fire was reported shortly after midday.
Topics: bushfire, forrestdale-6112, wa
First posted