Cervantes: Bushfire warning downgraded for coastal town after five days of intense firefighting
A bushfire warning for Cervantes has been downgraded, with residents now allowed to return home from the Jurien Bay evacuation centre.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services downgraded the warning to a watch and act alert just before 6.30pm on Friday.
Despite firebreaks and targeted mulching saving the coastal town of about 500 residents, people are urged to remain alert with unpredictable weather conditions ahead.
“You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive,” Friday night’s alert said.
“There is a threat to lives and homes.”
Camera IconThe fire threat on Friday night. The emergency warning area has been significantly reduced, but residents are still urged to remain alert. Credit: Emergency WA
The fire has torn through 74,892ha since igniting on Monday morning following a fatal car crash.
More than 200 firefighters have been battling the blaze.
Indian Ocean Drive has now opened between Jurien Bay and Cervantes to local traffic only. People are urged to obey traffic controllers and police, who are managing road closures.
Indian Ocean Drive south of Cervantes was still closed on Friday evening.
A too late to leave emergency warning applied to the communities of Grey and Wedge Island on Friday night.
Incident controller Damien Pumphrey said crews had made “considerable progress” controlling the blaze on Friday, but that the weekend’s weather could still worsen conditions.
Mr Pumphrey said the Pinnacles had been saved, but that surrounding natural vegetation could have been burned as firefighters continued efforts to contain and control the inferno.
Camera IconThe burnt ground from the air. Credit: DFES/DFES
The Bureau of Meteorology predicts a maximum of mid-30s for the Cervantes area on Saturday.
“We do have to be careful with wind changes because it can make the fire move off in a different direction,” senior meteorologist Catherine Schelfhout said.
North-westerly winds over the weekend are forecast to increase humidity in the area, which Ms Schelfhout said could make firefighting efforts easier.
Earlier this week, two volunteer firefighters were injured, one of them suffering non-life threatening burns.
Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson confirmed on Friday that there had been no reports of major property damage.
Camera IconA photo taken from Nambung Village this week. Credit: supplied/supplied
It remains out-of-control and uncontained. The fire had a perimeter of almost 362km on Friday night.
There is a chance of thunderstorms in the area of the bushfire at the weekend.
The evacuation centre at Jurien Bay Sport and Recreation Centre was closed on Friday evening.
#Cervantes #Bushfire #warning #downgraded #coastal #town #days #intense #firefighting