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Wildfires near Perth injure 3, destroy homes
Source: Agencies |
December 31, 2009, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
WILDFIRES possibly sparked by fallen power lines roared across a swath of western Australia yesterday, razing almost 40 homes and sending hundreds of people fleeing for their lives, officials and witnesses said. At least three people were injured.
Two major blazes burned out of control overnight after breaking out Tuesday afternoon in a wheat and sheep farming district north of the coastal city of Perth, forcing the evacuation of the township of Toodyay and threatening a second town, Badgingarra, farther north.
The two fires scorched a combined total of more than 13,400 hectares of forest and farmland before cooler conditions yesterday helped hundreds of firefighters contain them.
Western Australia state Premier Colin Barnett declared a natural disaster - freeing up emergency funds for survivors - and praised authorities who battled the blazes.
"There is no doubt they saved lives last night," Barnett said yesterday after visiting burned-out homes in Toodyay.
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