PERTH — A wildfire on the fringes of Australia’s fourth-largest city Perth has destroyed several homes and forced emergency evacuations, authorities said Tuesday, just days after the west coast city entered a coronavirus lockdown.
Firefighters are battling the out-of-control bushfire on the city’s eastern fringes, where several properties are ablaze and several fields have been blackened.
Smoke from the fires sent ash falling in the Perth city centre, around 30 kilometers (18 miles) away.
Firefighters were said to be working in “extremely volatile” conditions with temperatures set to hit 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 Fahrenheit).
“The fire is currently 7,000 hectares in size…
Keep on reading: Australia’s Perth battles bushfire amid coronavirus lockdown