Uncontrolled Bushfires Destroy 71 Perth Homes Prompting Total Fire Ban

Fire crews control bush fires as they approach properties on Copley Road in Upper Swan in Perth, Australia, on Feb. 2, 2021. Paul Kane/Getty Images

Bushfires have ravaged Perth’s northeastern suburbs destroying 71 homes, leading the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) to announce a Total Fire Ban (TFB) on Wednesday for areas throughout the state.

The bushfire which prompted the fire ban was started in the suburb of Wooroloo and was first reported on Monday, but the cause still remains unknown. According to the DFES, the blaze covers more than 8,000 hectares with 250 firefighters and fire appliances on-site working to control the flames.