Australian Fire Damage ‘Like War Zone’
November 26, 2011
Wallcliffe House on the banks of Margaret River Prevelly is seen destroyed by fires which raged throughout the Western Australian towns of Prevally and Gnarabup on Friday. It is expected it will take a week to fully extinguish the flames which ripped through some 3,363 hectares about 280 kilometers south of the west coast city of Perth. (EPA Photo/Theo Fakos) Related articles
Stall Owners Surprised by Market Blaze In Balikpapan 9:17am May 21, 2012
Rise of Australia’s ‘Feral Billionaires’ 5:34pm May 20, 2012
Three Children Perish in North Jakarta Fire 11:48am May 16, 2012
Australia Forecasting Budget Surplus in New Year 6:53pm May 8, 2012
Increasingly Multicultural, Wealthy Australia Leads to Less Beer 2:06pm May 3, 2012
Post a comment
Please login to post comment
Comments
Be the first to write your opinion!
Perth, Australia. An Australian bushfire which ripped through a scenic coastal region left some areas looking like a war zone, residents said on Saturday as authorities downgraded the alert level.
Thirty-four houses, four sheds and nine chalets, including the historic 1865 Wallcliffe House, were lost in the blaze which also damaged a further 16 houses and one shop at Prevelly, Gnarabup and Redgate.
“Although the warning was downgraded overnight... a fire threat still exists and may worsen at any time,” Western Australia’s Department of Environment and Conservation’s bushfire advisory said.
It is expected it will take a week to fully extinguish the flames which ripped through some 3,363 hectares in the coastal, wine-growing region about 280 kilometers south of the west coast city of Perth.
One man who lost his home, Garrath Stewart, said his street had been badly hit by the blaze which burned out his house but left clothes on the washing line in the garden virtually untouched.
“Napalm, Vietnam, defoliation — there’s just no vegetation in certain areas — you look out and it’s just sand and dead trees,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation after being taken by bus to see the devastation.
“It’s like a war zone,” one firefighter told Sky News. “Nothing can compare.”
The fire was sparked by a government burn-off which got out of control as high winds and soaring temperatures hit the area on Wednesday and Thursday.
Fire crews made the most of milder conditions Friday to strengthen containment lines and about 250 firefighters and volunteers, aided by water bombers, were working to ensure the fire does not spread again.
Bushfires are common in Australia where in February 2009 the deadly “Black Saturday” firestorm claimed 173 lives in southeastern Victoria state — the nation’s worst natural disaster of modern times.
Agence France-Presse
- Hard-Line FPI Buys 150 Tickets to Stop Lady Gaga Concert
- Bali Offers to Host Lady Gaga Concert
- Lady Gaga No Longer Speechless, Talks About Jakarta Concert
- Indonesia's National Police Says it Might Allow Lady Gaga Show
- Jakarta Police Would Dispatch Up to 4,000 Officers for Lady Gaga Show
- Lady Gaga Rocks Philippines, Defies Critics
- Some Experts Say Indonesia's Blackberry Service Is Declining
- Hard-Line FUI Says Lady Gaga Promoter Offered it a Bribe
- Bali’s ‘Subak’ Technique Makes Unesco World Heritage List
- Insight: Indonesia Tycoon Bakrie Gears Up for Presidential Bid
-
2:22pm | Update: Australia, Indonesia D...
Yes Zerod. Additionally it looks like the Bali Bomb maker will not even receive half her sentence. Where's the justice in that? -
2:20pm | Ask Atheists, Christians, Shii...
@jusdogin "so long as its 100 to 1 odds" nicely sums up the quintessential Indonesian character trait of being brave when you have a mob at your -
2:19pm | Indonesia's Face at the French...
@OVOxo yeah, and would you prefer Dewi Perssik to present Indonesia for Cannes? By now, she's not the 'it' girl anymore but she u -
2:12pm | Fauzi Accused of Using Jakarta...
"“Those grants were decided by the Jakarta Council and have been approved by the Home Affairs Ministry through a bylaw. Exactly where is the abuse -
2:08pm | Update: Australia, Indonesia D...
Since pot is considered illegal, it's only right for the lady to jailed since she is proven guilty for smuggling pot. It has nothing to do with wh -
2:07pm | Solo School Receives Complaint...
What are books like these doing in an elementary school to begin with? Holy cigarette companies try to get them while they're young, 'cause an ad -
2:05pm | Solo School Receives Complaint...
So the books came via the religious affairs ministry ( although they deny this.. well they would wouldn't they? )to the school and from the school -
2:05pm | Hard-Line FUI Says Lady Gaga P...
I see this story is now collecting a lot of attention in the international press. How embarrassing for Indonesia to have its dirty laundry (wahabi
