Donnybrook bushfire: Home destroyed after blaze jumps containment lines in Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup

One home has been destroyed and three others damaged after a bushfire raging near Donnybrook broke containment lines on Saturday afternoon.

The West understands the gutted home is in Glen Mervyn, which lies to the east of Donnybrook along Donnybrook-Boyup Brook Road.

DFES Commissioner Darren Klemm also revealed “a couple of members of the community” had suffered minor burns to their hands after electing to stay and defend their properties.

The fire – which has burnt through 5895 hectares in the Donnybrook-Balingup Shire – has now been downgraded from an emergency to watch and act level.

Mr Klemm said around 200 firefighters had spent the night battling the blaze and it was currently contained but not controlled, with aerial support remaining on standby in the event of another flare up.

“They had a breakout (Saturday) afternoon under the influence of some pretty strong south easterly winds,” Mr Klemm said.

“So that fire expanded some 800 hectares in the north west corner.

“I can advise that there’s been one house lost yesterday afternoon, as well as three others damaged and there are a couple of members of the community with minor burns to their hands.”

Mr Klemm added he understood the injuries had been sustained by people who had “elected to stay and defend”.

As of Sunday morning there were 113 firefighters still on the ground with DFES still warning of “a possible threat to lives and homes” with conditions changing throughout the course of the day.

The inferno was sparked on Tuesday by a lightning strike near the intersection of Lowden-Grimwade Road and Atom Road in Noggerup.

It has since burned through a big swathe of the heavily wooded Preston National Park.

The breakout on Saturday afternoon droves the flames in the direction of Glen Mervyn and Yabberup, which are located to the east of Donnybrook.

An evacuation centre has been set up at Donnybrook Recreation Centre where a community meeting will be held at 1pm.