The risk bushfires potentially pose to grey nomads and other travellers has once again been highlighted by a major blaze about 200km north of Broome in Western Australia’s Kimberley region.
About 200 tourists were evacuated as bushfire threatened the five-star Kooljaman Tourist Resort at Cape Leveque. Managers there contacted emergency services yesterday afternoon, saying the fire had moved close to their safari tents and reception buildings.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) issued an emergency warning but that has now been downgraded to a watch and act. The ABC reports that, with temperatures in the mid-30s and the wind picking up, the speed the fire was moving at caused fears that lives were at risk.
The 200 guests are safe, although one person had to be treated for heatstroke. No damage to the resort was reported.
The Kimberley is coming into its driest months, when the fire risk is greatest and extra crews and fire trucks are brought up from Perth to assist. It is a busy time in the area with grey nomads not only visiting Cape Leveque itself but also camping at the numerous awesome camping spots off the unsealed Cape Leveque Road, where bushfires are also a threat..
Indeed, the DFES has just issued a bushfire advice for a separate fire burning 50 kilometres north of Broome. Authorities say there is no threat to lives or homes but the advice has been issued for people camping and travelling near Waterbank station between Cape Leveque Road and Manari Road.
The ABC reports that arson is a problem in the region each year, and firefighters have had to extinguish at least a dozen deliberately lit fires in the Kimberley in the last month alone.
Are you in the Kimberley at the moment? Have you been affected by a bushfire? Comment below.
Kiwi-as and I are in Broome at the moment. Heard about the fires and road closure. Had friends who flew into Cape Leveque on way back from Horizontal Falls this afternoon and said they saw no sign of the fires. The pilot just told them there would be some smoke about.
We plan on going to James Price Point tomorrow for a day trip, trying to catch a fish for tea!!!