Cause of Howatharra fire which burnt through 1000ha remains unclear, as DFES continues investigation

The cause of a bush inferno that came close to more than a dozen homes in the shires of Chapman Valley and Northampton has still not been revealed as investigations continue. The massive blaze started on Sunday morning and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services started investigations after the fire had been contained and controlled. A DFES spokesperson said it was unable to determine how long the investigation would go for, but confirmed it was still active and not being treated as suspicious. The fire burnt through 1100ha of land, coming dangerously close to 14 properties, destroying 19 power poles and killing about 40 sheep. DFES incident officer Ian Comben said a dry farming season meant properties were more vulnerable than usual, and the conditions such as hot weather and wind could exacerbate the impact of a bushfire. DFES urges all residents in bushfire prone areas to create a “bushfire plan” using its app, which helps individuals know when and how they will leave their property if it is under threat from a bushfire.