Dalyellup fire: youths may face charges

A group of youths may face charges under the Bush Fire Act, after a fire in Dalyellup on Friday.

Picture gallery by Liz Grandmaison

The four boys, aged 12 and 13 were questioned and summonsed by police for their alleged hand in starting the blaze that required 32 firefighters, a helitack and water bomber to control.

The fire, reported just after 4pm, in the reserve bordered by Norton Promenade and Gutmann Pathway posed no risk to homes or lives, took around two hours to control.

Roads in the area were closed during the fire that enveloped the area south of Bunbury in smoke. A warning was issued to drivers.

Department of Fire and Emergency Services regional duty coordinator Ross Bradshaw said that with the hot and dry conditions, they were lucky the fire began in an area bordered by a lake and parkland.

“We had volunteer firefighters, a helitack from Busselton and fixed-wing bomber from Bunbury, so it was very quickly supressed, ” he said.

Mr Bradshaw encouraged people to be prepared for and vigilant of fires during the summer months.

“It’s a shared responsibility, ” he said.

“We’re right in the middle of the fire season. It’s hot, it’s dry and people need to be careful.”

He said he was concerned by the number of people who left their homes to watch the firefighters extinguishing the blaze and encouraged people to stay home and monitor the situation via the department’s website and social media accounts.

“I was told there were more than 200 spectators, ” Mr Bradshaw said.

“From a safety point of view we’d like people to stay away from the immediate area.”