Geraldton bushfire: Authorities believe blaze deliberately lit, as at least one property destroyed

At least one property has been destroyed, and dozens more are under threat, as firefighters desperately work to contain what is believed to be a suspicious bushfire near Geraldton.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services upgraded its bushfire warning to an emergency for residents bound by Crowtherton Street, the coastline, Bosley Street, Chapman Valley Road and the Spalding Park Golf Course in Bluff Point, Spalding and Sunset Beach in the City of Great Geraldton on Monday morning.

The West Australian understands the cause of the blaze is being treated as suspicious

Bush fire service, career fire and rescue service, volunteer fire and rescue, volunteer fire and emergency service and parks and wildlife service firefighters are at the scene actively fighting the blaze.

Water bombers have also been sent to assist ground crews.

Incident controller Brent Allen on Monday confirmed one house was a “total loss” late on Sunday afternoon, and said authorities were still working to track down the owner.

He said the blaze remained uncontained and uncontrolled, and said crews would be “up against it all day today” with strong winds and temperatures forecast to reach 42C.

“We have managed to hold the fire up,” he said.

“With this easterly wind its been heading along the river, it’s been following the track of the river … so we’ve had crews working either side of the river.

“We’re going to be here for a number of days. Our priorities at the moment are protecting lives and property.

“We’ve got really difficult conditions with the temperatures and the wind.

“One of the biggest things with the wind is it changes dramatically throughout the day, which means the fire front will be consistently changing through the day.”

Mr Allen described Sunday’s situation as “pretty horrific”, with the blaze coming just metres away from properties.

“Particularly on Nerrel and Tappak streets and on Chapman Valley Road, crews probably spent two hours yesterday afternoon actively going house to house and fighting individual fires,” he said.

“It was in people’s backyards, so within metres of houses.

“It was pretty horrific. All our crews were working safely … but it would have been a pretty full-on experience for both the residents and for our responders.

“For the crews on the ground it was just a mad scramble going from door to door responding to triple-0 calls and just trying to defend individual properties.

“It was inspirational for me to see the way the crews were working together to protect strangers’ homes and lives.”

Crews have been working through the night, with relief crews arriving from Perth on Monday to help fatigued first-responders, who have been responding to multiple fires in the Greater Geraldton area over the past four days.

Mr Allen said property damage had been “contained and quite minimal” and said he was aware of a “couple of sheds and outbuildings damaged”.

He praised crews for saving Waggrakine Primary School, adding the fire had burned about 130 hectares.

“As far as I’m aware there’s been no damage to school property apart from some vegetation like trees and some of the garden beds,” he said.

St John WA confirmed no-one had been injured.

The bushfire — first reported about 10.30am on Sunday — is moving south in a south-westerly direction. Those north of the river were urged to evacuate in a northerly direction if safe to do so.

Residents south of the river are also told to leave in a southerly direction if safe to do so.

“You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive,” a DFES spokesperson said.

“There is a threat to lives and homes.

“If the way is clear, leave now for a safer place. This may be with family or friends away from the area.

“Do not wait and see, leaving at the last minute could put your life in danger.

“If you cannot leave, you need to get ready to shelter in your home.”

The Department of Communities has opened an evacuation centre at QEII Seniors and Community Centre and Northampton Recreation Centre.

Western Power also confirmed up to 605 homes and businesses in Waggrakine had lost power as a result of the blaze.

“The network operations centre has back-fed power supply where possible and safe to do so,” a DFES spokesperson said.

“Some customers won’t be able to be restored until the fire has passed.”

Greater Geraldton City mayor Jerry Clune described the past 24 hours as “harrowing” and warned locals to stay alert.

“The fire has arced up again this morning, there are extremely north-easterly winds and it’s pushed in a westerly direction, so all the suburbs on the western side we are asking to keep cautious,” he told 6PR on Monday morning.

“There are some (locals that have been told) to leave now in some cases.”

Mr Clune said the incident was constantly changing, and urged residents bound by road closures to “hang tight”.

“Just hang tight until it does clear, I know that some roads are open, it is a changing thing... just hang on,” he said.

“With fires you have just got to be patient and sit out the danger-zone until it is cleared.

“Sometimes it is a little longer than usual, but it’s hot today, so (we’re) asking people to be cautious.”

Waggrakine Primary School, Walkaway Primary School and Northampton District High School have been closed on Monday.

Some local roads have been closed including:

• North West Coastal Highway from Green Street to Chapman Valley Road

• Chapman Valley Road from North West Coastal Highway to David Road

• Hall Road from Chapman Valley Road to Collins Road

• Constantine Road

• David Road

• Adelaide Street

• Beattie Road

• Brisbane Street

• Nerrel Street

• Astron Place

• Robyn Place

• Pargi Close

• Yarraman Road

The mercury in Geraldton is tipped to reach a scorching 42C on Monday, with concerns the heat will cause the fire to “spread quickly and be extremely dangerous”.

Premier Roger Cook described the bushfire as “very live and very dangerous”, and confirmed Emergency Services Minister Paul Papalia was travelling to Geraldton on Monday to assist with the effort.

“Disturbingly, we’ve got a significant fire in the Geraldton area, that fire has escalated overnight and we have crews, both on the ground and in the air, fighting that fire under conditions which have deteriorated significantly — high winds, very high temperatures,” he said.

“We understand that there’s been a loss of one home, but we’re still awaiting further advice from DFES about any other property damage.

“Three primary schools have been shut and there are homes without power.. it was thousands of homes yesterday, it’s down to around about 600 today.

“We thank again, all the members of our volunteer and career firefighting teams... it’s the first day of summer, and not surprisingly, I think we all need to be aware of this (fire).”

A separate bushfire watch and act warning is in place for locals bound by Spalding Park Golf Course, Mary Street, Collins Road, Sutcliffe Road and Nerrel Street in Waggrakine and Moresby.

“If you have left the area, it is unsafe to return due to fallen trees, fallen powerlines and other dangers created by the fire,” DFES said.

“If you have remained in the area, stay alert and monitor your surroundings as conditions could change.”

Another watch and act is in place for those bound by Chapman Road, Okahoma Road, North West Coastal Highway and Chapman Valley Road in Glenfield and Crowtherton Street, Charles Street and Chapman Road in Bluff Point.

“There is a possible threat to lives and homes as a fire is burning in the area and conditions are changing,” DFES said.

“If your plan is to leave, leave now.”

A bushfire advice warning is also in place for residents bound by Mary Street, Sutcliffe Road, Cooper Street and North West Coastal Highway in Waggrankine and Glenfield.

There is no threat to lives or homes.