Bushfires rage near Australia's Perth, cutting power to thousands
Multiple bushfires are threatening communities north and south of Perth, Australia, as firefighters struggle to contain flames amid hot, gusty conditions on Christmas Day.
A fire near the town of Boddington, southeast of Perth, has intensified, prompting urgent containment efforts, News.Az reports, citing ABC News.
Meanwhile, several other fires across southern Western Australia have caused major power outages, leaving thousands of homes without electricity in popular tourist towns.
Margaret River, Lancelin, and Ledge Point are among the areas affected, with temperatures reaching up to 43°C. Boddington, Walpole, and Williams are also experiencing power disruptions.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) has upgraded the fire threatening Boddington to an Emergency Warning for the second time in the past 24 hours.
It is burning in a forest between a rural housing estate and an area surrounding the Boddington Gold Mine, operated by Newmont.
Most people working at the mine were evacuated yesterday — escorted out by emergency crews — but a small group remains, and today's escalation means it is now too late to leave.
DFES said mine workers were "providing support with machinery and emergency response teams".
The Australian Workers Union said it was working to get in touch with its members at the site.
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