Ledge Point Bushfire: Residents Told It's Too Late To Evacuate As Flames Close In

Western Australia's Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) issued an emergency warning this morning for residents that it was now too late for them to leave as a fast-moving bushfire burns Ledge Point, north of Perth.

Evacuation routes blocked

The affected area includes Old Ledge Point Road to the north, Indian Ocean Drive to the east, Bennies Road to the south, and the coastline to the west. Residents were initially told to evacuate; however, now officials say it is unsafe to leave because the fire has blocked evacuation routes.

DFES has advised residents to stay inside a room with running water before the fire reaches them, warning that the extreme heat could be deadly. People are urged to act quickly to protect themselves, as the fire is a danger to both lives and homes, 9News reported.

Some residents had already evacuated earlier and taken shelter at the Lancelin Community Sports Centre. The bushfire started around 1:00 a.m. (AEWT) and was still burning out of control, moving towards Ledge Point in a west-north-westerly direction.

The region is under a high fire danger warning, with temperatures reaching the mid-30s in some parts of the state, as firefighters and helicopters work to control the fire.

People in Ledge Point, Karakin, and Lancelin -- within the area from Lancelin Road and Seaview Drive in the north to Old Ledge Point Road in the south, and from Indian Ocean Drive in the east to the coastline in the west -- should stay alert as the fire is nearby.

Early morning evacuation

Guests staying at Ledge Point Caravan Park had to leave for Lancelin around 4.00 a.m. as the fire got closer to the town. Teressa Bull, Ledge Point local and mother of two, evacuated with her sons after the police knocked on her door.

"We had a lot of sirens and a lot of knocks at our doors around 4am this morning, telling us we need to evacuate. As I was coming out of Ledge Point Road I could actually see the flames coming through," she said, The West reported. "I've never seen a fire like this before."

Donna Boucaut was among 102 people who took shelter at the Lancelin Community Sports Centre after she and her partner had to leave the caravan park at 3.30 a.m.

Firefighters gathered everyone at the front of the park to take a headcount and make sure no one was missing. They then instructed people to go to the beach for safety.

The police later announced that there was a short window of about 30 minutes for people to leave town. They drove around the caravan park using loudspeakers to order an evacuation.