Emergency services in the Goldfields bracing for extreme fire conditions to start 2020

Firefighting resources are being bolstered in the Goldfields as the region faces extreme weather over the coming days which could stretch volunteers who have spent the festive season working to keep several fires under control.

The Goldfields-Esperance and Eyre highways will remain closed until at least tomorrow morning due to ongoing efforts to contain a fire which has burnt through more than 150,000 hectares of land around Norseman since December 16.

Several other blazes in the shires of Coolgardie and Dundas, and City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder are also being monitored.

With extreme heat, wind and potential thunderstorms forecast in parts of the Goldfields, Department of Fire and Emergency Services Goldfields-Midlands regional superintendent Antony Sadler said the service was setting up a large incident management crew in Kalgoorlie to get on the front foot.

“That will put as in a very good position where, if anything else starts off, we have a number of people in the right position and the right time,” he said.

Latest advice

DFES alerts

Road closures

“Fortunately we have had two reasonably quiet days weather-wise days and the crews on the ground have been able to gain some significant ground in rounding up those fires.

“There’s still a fair bit of work to do.

“There potential for the fire out at Balladonia to impact the highway is great, so today the crews are conducting back burning. There is a big chance if that fire jumps containment lines it will impact the highway so we are erring on the side of caution.”

The fires around Norseman and Balladonia led to the Goldfields-Esperance and Eyre highways being closed for most of the festive season, leaving travellers and truckies stranded on several occasions.

Norseman is expected to reach 41 degrees tomorrow, with north-easterly winds reaching 30kmh. Thunderstorms could also bring the risk of lightning to the area in the evening across the eastern Goldfields.

More than 80 firefighters are currently battling the Norseman blaze, including relief teams who have flown in from Perth, Geraldton and the Mid-West Gascoyne region.

Supt Sadler praised the volunteer crews and public for their response to the fires over the festive period.

“My sincere thnaks go out to all the emergency service volunteers and contractors out there assisting us for the work they are doing during this difficult time,” he said.

“A lot of people gave up Christmas and a lot of people will be giving up their New Year’s Eve celebrations too.

“I’ve seen a remarkable difference in the way the public has responded to road closures and all our warnings.”

Conditions in Norseman are expected to ease on Friday, with clouds and a top of 25 forecast.