Residents flee as bushfire threatens lives

Karloo residents were forced to evacuate on Sunday night as an out-of-control bushfire tore through their suburb, with flames coming within metres of homes. Father of two Jamie Greenham made the difficult decision to take his family and leave home early yesterday as an emergency alert was issued warning residents homes and lives were in danger. “We got the first knock around 8pm from police patrolling the area,” he said. “It got really bad after midnight — that’s when we made the decision to leave.” He said he was lucky not to have any damage to his property as the fire came within metres of his home, igniting weeds outside a vacant house next to his Peter Way home. In reliving the scary night, Mr Greenham said his children had been in tears during the ordeal, which unfolded soon after they had returned home from a holiday to Exmouth. He packed the kids in the car and took them further up the street to wait out the emergency. “It was a really rough night,” the exhausted father said. Mr Greenham said bushfires were an annual occurrence in the area during the summer months, but the weather on Sunday made the situation intense. “It was scary,” he said. “The wind was howling, and embers were flying everywhere.” “The firefighters did an amazing job in difficult conditions.” A Department of Fire and Emergency Services spokesperson said the fire was reported just after 8.30pm and was believed to have started near the intersection of Abraham Street and Peter Way. “No homes or lives were lost in the fire,” she said. The fire had been heading west, towards Champion Bay High School, but was brought under control by 10 fire crews by 6.30am. About 2.5 hectares was burnt and the cause was unknown.