Too late for Western Australian residents to leave as bushfire threatens towns: Fire department

Sydney (The Uttam Hindu): Residents of several communities in Western Australia (WA) have been told it was too late to leave as a major bushfire continued to burn nearby. The WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) on Friday morning issued an emergency warning to residents of the small coastal town of Cervantes, 170 km north of Perth, and nearby communities, advising them to take shelter from the approaching fire, Xinhua news agency reported. "You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. There is a threat to lives and homes," the alert said.

"It is too late to leave. Fire has impacted evacuation routes and leaving now will put your life in danger." Hundreds of firefighters as well as aerial water bombing crews were deployed to fight the fire, which was sparked by a car crash on Monday. The fire burnt through over 65,000 hectares of land. Authorities warned that hot weather and strong winds forecast for Friday could make containment efforts more challenging. Roads, schools and hospitals in Cervantes and the surrounding area were closed. Two firefighters were injured while fighting the blaze, including a volunteer who was airlifted to hospital in a stable condition.