Residents in Western Australia’s Mid-West have fled their homes as a fast-moving bushfire tears towards the coast. 

An out-of-control and unpredictable bushfire is burning in parts of Howatharra and White Peak in the Shire of Chapman Valley, north of Geraldton, forcing residents to evacuate as the rapidly spreading fire approaches. 

The blaze hit in the middle of extreme fire weather in the region on Sunday with wind gusts of nearly 70 kilometres per hour recorded at Geraldton in the morning. 

An emergency warning has been put in place for people between Dillistone Road and the coastline, including travellers on North West Coastal Highway between Nanson-Howatharra Road and Wells Road on the east of Great Northern Highway and Coronation Beach Road and the mouth of Oakajee River on the west of the highway.

The latest warning says homes in Nanson-Howatharra Road, Olsen Road, Wells Road, North West Coastal Highway and Coronation Beach Road are under threat now.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services said parts of the North West Coastal Highway, about an hour north-east of Geraldton, had been closed due to the fire.

Several water bombers are battling the blaze. 

Evacuation underway

Some residents have already been forced to evacuate their homes and can only watch on as the fire continues to approach.

Midwest resident Karen Royce said she and her son fled to a neighbouring property after the wind picked up.  

“We don’t know how it started, the winds are horrific and they have gone through our house, we can’t see our house.

“Volunteers have been down there trying to save it — we don’t actually know what’s happened.”

DFES said the fire started at the intersection of Nanson-Howatharra Road and Bella Vista Road in Howatharra, and was reported just after 10:30am on Sunday.

People travelling north of Geraldton have been advised to avoid the area, while residents have been told to act immediately, with the fire posing a threat to lives and homes.