An emergency warning has been issued for parts of The Lakes and Wooroloo, including Acacia Prison, as a raging bushfire poses an “imminent threat to lives and homes.”
According to 7 News Australia, the blaze, which began near Great Eastern Highway and Carter Road in The Lakes on Wednesday afternoon, is out of control and moving quickly eastward. The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) has urged residents to act immediately, warning: “You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive.”
The fire zone is bordered by Great Eastern Highway, Chinganning Road, Inkpen Road, Woottating Road, and Carter Road. Acacia Prison, housing over 1,500 inmates, is within the affected area. The Department of Justice is yet to comment on evacuation plans.
Currently, more than 50 units are battling the blaze on the ground, supported by aerial resources. WA Prison Officers Union Secretary Andy Smith acknowledged the potential challenges of evacuating prisoners, stating: “If we do have to evacuate, we have no spare beds anywhere in the State.”
Motorists are advised to avoid the area, with Great Eastern Highway closed between The Lakes Roadhouse and Linley Valley Road. Residents have been instructed to either leave immediately in a northern or southern direction or prepare to shelter in their homes if leaving is no longer safe.
DFES emphasizes that it is too dangerous for anyone away from home to attempt returning to the area.