BALINGUP residents are bracing themselves for an expected wind change at midday that may determine the course of a bushfire burning to the south east of the town.
The Balingup Nannup Road has been closed to all traffic except residents choosing to leave.
Spring Gully Road resident Betty Guest said she and husband John Guest had been fighting the fires around their property last night. They lost some fencing and half a paddock before a firebreak was put through the centre of the property, containing the fire at that end.
Neighbour’s paddocks and a hill on the south side of Spring Gully were lost.
Mrs Guest, who evacuated at 8.30pm with another woman, said fires were burning throughout the plantations and bush in the area.
She said last night the flames were crowning, meaning they were burning 100m above the treetops.
“They roared so loudly,” she said.
“Now we’re just waiting to see what the winds are going to do.”
Balingup resident Margie Miskimmin said south east Balingup was possibly in danger from the fire this afternoon, depending on the wind. Residents in her neighbourhood, located off the Balingup-Nannup road, were fireproofing their houses.
Balingup resident Sana Turnock said the sky in Balingup was white yesterday, and today there was ash landing on her balcony and coming into the house. She said she had packed her bags yesterday and was ready to go should it be necessary.
