Hastings bushfire: Bushfire threat reduced, residents urged to remain alert

Residents in parts of the Wheatbelt are no longer being urged to evacuate after a bushfire emergency alert was downgraded.

People in parts of Hastings, Wandering, and Codjatotine — north-west of Narrogin — were bound by a watch and act alert on Saturday night, after a firefighters managed to contain the blaze.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services issued an emergency warning for the area just after 5.30pm before it was downgraded just over two hours later.

Residents bounded by North Wandering Road, York-Williams Road, Wandering-Pingelly Road and Edwards Road, in the areas listed above, were urged to remain alert in case the situation changed.

“There is a possible threat to lives and homes.”

The fire was not controlled as of 8pm on Saturday after it was first reported around 2.40pm on Saturday. Residents outside of the watch and act zone to the east are advised to remain alert and monitor their surroundings.

It comes after a week of intense firefighting efforts saved the coastal town of Cervantes from an inferno that razed almost 80,000ha.

Several roads in the area have been closed, with members of the public urged to drive carefully and avoid the area.

Road closures include:

• York-Williams Road, between North Wandering Road and Wandering-Pingelly Road.
• Codjatotine-Hastings Road.
• George Road
• Wandering-Pingelly Road, between York-Williams Road and Noombling-Norrine Road.

Firefighters are also battling a bushfire that closed Eyre Highway following a serious road train crash on Saturday.

The major route has been closed in both directions between Mundrabilla Roadhouse and Madura Pass with motorists told to avoid the area.