Australia bushfire alert: Blaze at Herdsman Lake, Perth

Authorities have issued warnings after a bushfire ignited at Herdsman Lake, a popular wetland in suburban Perth, Australia, despite the city experiencing relatively cool autumn weather.

The fire is burning on the eastern side of Herdsman Lake, located about six kilometres from the Perth central business district, News.Az reports, citing Australian media.

It was first reported at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Monday and is moving eastward through inaccessible bushland.

An advice-level alert has been issued for residents near Herdsman Lake, including the suburbs of Glendalough, Osborne Park, and Wembley.

Officials have raised particular concern about embers being carried by wind into nearby residential areas.

Authorities said the fire has burned roughly 20 hectares. It is currently contained but not yet under control.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) said the fire originated in a swampy area and spread toward the edges of the lake, where tall reeds contributed to increased flame height. DFES noted that access to the lake itself is restricted, forcing firefighters to wait until the blaze reached accessible edges before attempting to halt its spread.

Aerial firefighting support has also been deployed to assist ground crews.

Smoke has been reported across the surrounding area. Perth is expected to reach a temperature of around 23 degrees Celsius, with fire danger levels ranging from no rating to moderate in different parts of the region.

Herdsman Lake is a well-known inner-city wetland, popular for walking trails and dense vegetation, and is also home to a large population of birds as well as tiger snakes.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev