Fires raging on WA south coast

[AussieMark]

BUSHFIRES burning on Western Australia's south coast yesterday forced the evacuation of a school, closed part of a major highway and razed thousands of hectares of crops and parkland.

The Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) yesterday said a fire in the Barkers Inlet Nature Reserve, 60km west of Esperance, had been burning out of control since it was sparked by a lightning strike on Wednesday afternoon.

Two water bombers based in Albany had been called in to assist fire crews battling to contain the fire as it spread from the reserve into stubble paddocks and bluegum plantations.

CALM incident controller Greg Broomhall said the fire was expected to burn through 4000ha before it was contained, but further lightning strikes were forecast for late yesterday afternoon prompting fears of new outbreaks.

"Crews currently are holding the fire as it comes out of the nature reserve and into farmland to the east," Mr Broomhall said.

"The northern and southern edges are contained and the windshift from northerlies to south-westerlies should assist in holding the western edge."

Mr Broomhall said the aerial firefighting program had been extended to Albany this summer and the bombers had only come on stream yesterday.

"The bombers will help stem the fire's spread so that ground crews can get close enough to put the fire out," he said.

However, winds gusting to 50km/h and temperatures in the 40s, gave the fire potential to expand to the east, Mr Broomhall said.

Esperance police closed a section of the South Coast Highway between Whites Road and Farrell Road after smoke from the fire reduced visibility.

A further two fires on unallocated Crown land north of Esperance in the Peak Charles Area were being monitored by CALM and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA).

CALM was also assisting volunteer bush fire brigades with a blaze at Munglinup, about 100km east of Esperance.

FESA spokesman Bill Rose said there were several separate fires converging on one another around the township.

"There is a fire that approached the town of Munglinup this afternoon," Mr Rose said.

"The local school was evacuated to the Munglinup Town recreation centre."

The Shire of Ravensthorpe, that was controlling the Munglinup fire, was not able to provide further details.