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Tuesday, Feb 17, 2026
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Bushfires in Western Australia Devastate Homes Amid Extreme Weather Conditions
Four homes lost to bushfires as heatwave warnings persist across Western Australia
At least four homes have been destroyed as bushfires continue to ravage Western Australia, fueled by hot weather and strong winds.
Thousands of residents have been advised that it is too late to evacuate their properties, as authorities strive to contain the fires.
The bushfire in the Arthur River area, roughly 200 kilometers southeast of Perth, has resulted in the loss of three properties.
A fourth property was lost near Yellanup, located approximately 170 kilometers to the south, according to reports from ABC News as of Saturday.
The fires, which have been deemed uncontrolled in several regions of Western Australia, have consumed thousands of hectares of land.
The most significant of these blazes has devoured 11,000 hectares.
Specifically, an emergency warning had been issued for Reef Beach near Bremer Bay on the southern coast before being downgraded to 'watch and act.' Nonetheless, 638 homes and businesses in the affected area remain without power due to damage caused by the fires.
A fire initiated by lightning on Friday in Bremer Bay has already burned through 800 hectares and remains uncontained.
Meanwhile, a 40,000-hectare bushfire in the central region of the state prompted several warnings, which have since been reduced as the situation showed signs of improvement.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued extreme heatwave alerts for the Goldfields and southern interior districts.
Additional severe heatwave warnings cover much of southern and inland Western Australia.
BOM senior meteorologist Dean Narramore indicated that heatwave conditions are expected nationwide throughout the long weekend.
"Every state and territory over this long weekend is looking at least low-intensity heatwave conditions," Narramore informed ABC TV.
The heat conditions are anticipated to persist until at least the middle of next week, when cooler temperatures might prevail.
The fire threat, primarily impacting Western Australia, could potentially spread eastward early next week.
Dean Narramore noted, "There's a number of fires [in WA] and they'll be watching those in the coming days with heat and those gusty winds likely to continue there."
Early next week, the southern states of South Australia and Victoria might face extreme fire dangers, with warnings for strong and gusty winds coupled with temperatures reaching the lower 40s Celsius.
Thousands of residents have been advised that it is too late to evacuate their properties, as authorities strive to contain the fires.
The bushfire in the Arthur River area, roughly 200 kilometers southeast of Perth, has resulted in the loss of three properties.
A fourth property was lost near Yellanup, located approximately 170 kilometers to the south, according to reports from ABC News as of Saturday.
The fires, which have been deemed uncontrolled in several regions of Western Australia, have consumed thousands of hectares of land.
The most significant of these blazes has devoured 11,000 hectares.
Specifically, an emergency warning had been issued for Reef Beach near Bremer Bay on the southern coast before being downgraded to 'watch and act.' Nonetheless, 638 homes and businesses in the affected area remain without power due to damage caused by the fires.
A fire initiated by lightning on Friday in Bremer Bay has already burned through 800 hectares and remains uncontained.
Meanwhile, a 40,000-hectare bushfire in the central region of the state prompted several warnings, which have since been reduced as the situation showed signs of improvement.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued extreme heatwave alerts for the Goldfields and southern interior districts.
Additional severe heatwave warnings cover much of southern and inland Western Australia.
BOM senior meteorologist Dean Narramore indicated that heatwave conditions are expected nationwide throughout the long weekend.
"Every state and territory over this long weekend is looking at least low-intensity heatwave conditions," Narramore informed ABC TV.
The heat conditions are anticipated to persist until at least the middle of next week, when cooler temperatures might prevail.
The fire threat, primarily impacting Western Australia, could potentially spread eastward early next week.
Dean Narramore noted, "There's a number of fires [in WA] and they'll be watching those in the coming days with heat and those gusty winds likely to continue there."
Early next week, the southern states of South Australia and Victoria might face extreme fire dangers, with warnings for strong and gusty winds coupled with temperatures reaching the lower 40s Celsius.
