The bushfire that threatened the coastal town of Ledge Point, has been contained and downgraded to advice level, after emergency services gave some residents just 30 minutes to evacuate as flames rapidly approached the area on Monday.
Ledge Point, a small coastal town located roughly 105 kilometres north of Perth, is surrounded by dense shrubland and is mainly accessible by one road that stretches about seven kilometres in and out of the town.
The fire started just after 1am Monday along Indian Ocean Drive and quickly spread through the bush. By around 4am, police were knocking on doors, sirens were going off, and residents were told to evacuate immediately.
Holidaymakers staying at the caravan park were among the first to leave, with some only given a short window to pack up and go. More than 100 people ended up at the Lancelin Community Sports Centre, where they waited for updates.
Shannon De Bari, whose parents live in Ledge Point, said that while tourists evacuated, many of the locals stayed put.
“They moved everyone from the caravan park to Lancelin, but the locals mostly stayed behind,” she said.
Her mum spotted the fire at around 4am but ended up falling back asleep until 8am.
“We were so worried,” she said.
“They just turned the bore retic on, put a sprinkler on the roof, packed everything up, and were ready to head to the beach if they had to.
“It’s all still happening, but I think they’re kind of on top of it now.”
Flames reportedly came within metres of houses and the park. Thanks to the fast response from about 150 firefighters on the ground, along with helicopters and planes dropping water from above, no homes or buildings were lost.
DFES incident controller Shaun Champ confirmed to ABC Radio Perth Monday afternoon the fire was deliberately lit.
By Monday afternoon, the emergency warning was downgraded to a Watch and Act alert. Power lines and fallen trees remain a concern, and more than 500 homes were left without electricity.
Crews were working to restore power by 8pm and were planning to escort residents back into town once it was safe to return.
