WA: Three homes escape flames as firefighters battle blaze

AAP General News (Australia)
12-27-2000
WA: Three homes escape flames as firefighters battle blaze

PERTH, Dec 27 AAP - At least three householders counted their Christmas blessings today
when a fire raging through bushland south of Perth narrowly missed their homes.

As Perth sweltered in near-record festive-season temperatures for a third day running,
fire threatened a number of homes at Hope Valley near Kwinana, after raging through eight
hectares of bushland.

Firefighters contained the blaze within hours but did not bring it under control until
about noon, more than five hours after it began.

Kwinana council spokesman Ray Sousa said emergency crews had to fight flames back from
the edges of at least three houses before the blaze was brought under control.

Property damage was limited to a few fence posts, broken windows and water reticulation
systems, but budgerigars and other pets from the homes were reported to have died in the
fire or from the heat and smoke, Mr Sousa said.

Fifty firefighters, police and volunteers battled the smoke and searing heat to contain
the fire as metropolitan temperatures rose to a high of 40.1 degrees.

AAP lk/sd/was/de

KEYWORD: VALLEY NIGHTLEAD

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