A massive bushfire is still threatening lives and homes north-east of Perth on Wednesday afternoon as fire crews – some of whom needed urgent medical attention after rolling their fire truck – battle strong winds.
A bushfire emergency warning remains in place for locals near the Wheatbelt town of Toodyay, about 88km north-east of Perth.
The latest emergency warning is for people in an area bounded by Trig Road, Coondle West Road, Julimar Road, Harders Chitty Road, Parkland Drive, including Sinclair Place and Donegan View, Julimar Road and Heine Road in parts of West Toodyay, Coondle and Julimar.
Homes on Parkland Drive, Munnapin Rise, Malkup Brook Road, Sand Spring Road, Howard Road, Sinclair Place and Donegan View remain under threat by fire, which started just before 11am on Wednesday.
“You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. There is a threat to lives and homes,” the latest Department of Fire and Emergency Services alert states.
“It’s too late to leave, leaving now will put your life in danger.
“You need to shelter in your home in a room away from the fire front and make sure you can easily escape.”
As fire crews on the ground and from the air battle the blaze amid strong winds, ambulance crews raced to the scene of a fire truck that rolled in the Toodyay area.
A firefighter was taken to hospital after the truck rolled near the scene of the out-of-control West Toodyay fire.
Just before 1pm, the large fire truck rolled on its side at the intersection of River and Folewood Roads.
Dramatic images captured by the 7NEWS helicopter showed the truck on its side with its windscreen smashed.
The truck’s front end remains partially submerged in a small body of water near River Road.
A St John WA spokesperson said a male firefighter – aged in his 40s – was taken to Northam Hospital with minor injuries. It is believed he was freed from the wreckage.
Four other firefighters managed to escape the truck without any injuries.
In a statement, DFES confirmed the truck rollover had “involved a local government bushfire brigade firefighting appliance that was responding to the Toodyay bushfire.
“Five people in the vehicle sustained minor, non-life threatening injuries and are receiving medical attention.
“DFES will work with WA Police to ascertain the circumstances of the incident.”
Multiple firefighters remain at the scene. The cause of the crash remains unknown.
The fire on Wednesday started near Julimar Road in West Toodyay, just as the region was experiencing strong gusts of wind.
Wind gusts of more than 80km/h were recorded in the region earlier on Wednesday
It comes as the bureau issued an extreme fire weather warning early on Wednesday morning for the Midwest Inland, Lesueur, Yarra Yarra, Swan Inland North, Swan Inland South, Brockman and Mortlock fire weather districts.
Toodyay falls within the Swan Inland North fire district.
The bushfire is still moving fast in a westerly direction.
Firefighters have travelled from over 20 different locations to help fight the blaze with some coming from as far as Karnup.
Toodyay has a devastating history with bushfires, with a catastrophic blaze almost 14 years to the day in December 2009 destroying 38 homes.
It was considered at the time to be one of the most damaging bushfires in WA’s history.
A report found the fire was caused by a Western Power pole that had fallen.
Two years earlier, schoolteacher Michelle Mack died after she rolled her car trying to escape a bushfire in Toodyay, which started when power line conductors clashed on a hot and windy day.
Western Power was later cleared of any wrongdoing.
The fire on Wednesday started near Julimar Road in West Toodyay.
The bushfire is moving fast in a westerly direction.
Firefighters remain on the scene.
A bushfire watch and act warning is also in place for people in an area west of Sinclair Place and Donegan View, bound by Julimar Road and Plunkett Road.
The evacuation centre is situated at the at Toodyay Memorial Hall at 117 Stirling Terrace, Toodyay.