One dead, many homes lost to Australian Wildfire

[Pastor Dale Morgan]

*Perilous Times and Global Warming

One dead, many homes lost to Australian Wildfire*

By Julie Tullberg

February 04, 2007 05:41am
Article from: AAP

AUSTRALIA - PERTH- A bushfire has destroyed numerous homes in a forest
community 70 km south east of Perth.

It's not known how many homes were claimed by the fire in Dwellingup,
but Department of Environment and Conservation spokesman Rick Sneeuwjagt
said it was believed "many houses" had been lost.

The town lost power, water and phone lines as fire crews and water
bombers worked frantically to save more homes.

"The emphasis currently is on protecting life and property," Mr
Sneeuwjagt said in a statement overnight.

"We are bringing in fire crews and incident management personnel from
throughout the south west and will have a full scale attack on the fire
later this evening."

The DEC said the fire was detected mid-afternoon on a private property
near Dwellingup, but the cause was unknown.

North west winds, gusting to 50km/h, fanned the flames, causing them to
spread rapidly in temperatures reaching the high 40s.

Campers in Lane Poole Reserve have evacuated the area.

The fire is about 3 km south west of Dwellingup, forcing the closure of
Pinjarra-Williams Road.

The DEC has urged people to stay away from the area.

The Dwellingup fire is being fought by the DEC, volunteer brigades,
police, fire and emergency services and other support agencies.

Meanwhile, Forrestdale, in the Perth hills, is fighting two fires
threatening the suburb.

About 100 firefighters and water-bombing Helitac helicopters are
battling the fires.

Fire crews are battling to contain fires near Toodyay, after they jumped
the Toodyay and Toomalling roads.

A Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia spokesman
said no more properties were under threat.

But the Toodyay community is mourning the death of a young school
teacher, who was burnt to death today while trying to escape the fire in
her car.

The Toodyay Primary School Year 6 and 7 teacher, known as "Michelle" to
locals, is believed to have rolled her car and been thrown from the
wreckage before being fatally burnt.