Esperance evacuees count cost of blaze

A West Australian man has mourned the loss of his family's farm as deadly bushfires continue to tear through the state's south.

Esperance locals have expressed their dismay after evacuating and in some cases losing their properties as deadly bushfires tear through the south of Western Australia.

Guy Green took to social media after losing his entire family farm to the blaze.

"The place I grew up, made me the person I am today and was to be my future is completely gone," Mr Green said on Facebook.

He said the family had lost all of the farm's machinery as well as houses.

"To everyone who has been affected by the fires today, you're definitely on the top of my mind. Be safe," Mr Green said.

Bianca Webb said on Facebook she had to run from her property with seven dogs and a cat as fires closed in.

"Good to know my house is no longer in the red zone (evacuation zone), just hope they control it and I'll be able to sleep tonight," she said.

"Never been so stressed in my life."

She told AAP that a forecast wind change was worrying locals.

Backburning was being done in paddocks in a bid to prevent the fire from spreading to blue gum trees, she added.

WA Farmers chief executive Stephen Brown said the lightning-sparked fires had come at the end of one of the best-ever seasons in the area as farmers were harvesting grain.

"To see your crop going up in smoke after what was going to be a bumper season is heartbreaking," he told AAP.

Mr Brown said he expected most of the loss to crops and livestock would be insured, but the death of locals in small towns would have a significant impact on the communities.


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Source: AAP


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