Australia: Dozens evacuate after wildfire burns in area bordering Perth

Firefighters watch a bushfire burn north of the city of Perth. Pic/AP

Dozens of residents have been evacuated and at least 10 homes destroyed by a wildfire burning out of control on the northern fringe of the west coast city of Perth during heat wave spring conditions, authorities said on Thursday.

There were no deaths reported, but several firefighters had sustained minor injuries including smoke inhalation, Western Australia state Department of Fires and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm said.

The fire began Wednesday afternoon in a pine tree plantation on Perth's northeast edge and was fanned overnight by 60-kilometre-an-hour winds, incident controller Clinton Kuchel said. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The temperature in Perth was forecast to peak at 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) on Thursday "which is extraordinarily hot for the Southern Hemisphere spring" and winds remained strong.

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