Waroona fire as it happened: 8 January

Summary

A huge bushfire has engulfed Yarloop in Western Australia and is threatening nearby towns
Nearly 100 homes have been destroyed in Yarloop, a historic town
Three people have been reported missing
Nearly 60,000 hectares (600 sq km) of land around Perth have been burned
All times GMT

Live Reporting

Tessa Wong and Anna Jones

Historic Yarloop buildings engulfed by firepublished at 05:47
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Night footage of Waroona firepublished at 05:37
A volunteer firefighter in Waroona posted this dramatic footage of the blaze last night.
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Anxious WA residents gather to hear updatespublished at 05:32
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What's different about Australian bushfires?published at 05:27
It depends on the type of fire: a grassland fire, for example, is going to be similar to those elsewhere, but burning in a eucalyptus forest, such as those common in south-western and south-eastern Australia, has its own qualities. Those trees have "very high biomass, are very flammable, and have a lot of oil," Dr Grant Wardell-Johnson of Australia's Curtin University tells the BBC.
Smoke from Waroona fire engulfs town jettypublished at 05:16
Residents of the seaside town of Busselton, not far from the Margaret River, have been anxiously monitoring the fire's progress.
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Why do some people not flee fires?published at 05:14
Rolf Poole of the New South Wales Fire Service tells the BBC: "Many people have grown up in the areas and accept and understand fires.. and when they are properly prepared we do sometimes advise them to stay.” But when it is severe enough, “it is much like trying to stand on a beach to stop a tsunami”.
Massive clouds of smoke loom over WApublished at 05:13
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Fires 'heartbreaking' to seepublished at 05:09 Greenwich Mean Time 8 January 2016
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'Act immediately to survive'published at 05:07
The latest release from the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, external says the emergency warning remains in place in Waroona and Harvey and surrounding areas, including Preston Beach.
It advises residents: "You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. There is a threat to lives and homes."
Yarloop politician tweets devastation picturespublished at 05:00
Yarloop politician Murray Cowper has been tweeting pictures of the devastation the Waroona fire has wreaked on the town. Entire buildings have been gutted including the historic Yarloop hall.
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Storms, hail and flash flooding warningspublished at 04:58
Australian meteorological officials have been warning of severe thunderstorms, external in in a part of Western Australia near the Waroona fire. Rain may sound like a good thing, but the warning says they may bring damaging winds, large hailstones, and heavy rainfall which may lead to flash flooding.
Strong winds hindering firefighterspublished at 04:54
Strong winds have been hindering firefighters as they have been trying to put out the fire.
Image source, DFES/AFP
Immense fires near Yarlooppublished at 04:52
Emergency services have released this photo, taken yesterday, of firefighters battling the immense blaze near Yarloop.
Image source, DFES/AFP
A town called Yarlooppublished at 04:47
Yarloop, which has been badly hit by the fire, was established in 1849 and is known for being a historic timber mill town. Most of its buildings are made of restored timber, and its many heritage buildings include its mill and rail yard.
In 1984 it was classified as a conservation area by Australia's National Trust.
Insurance Council says WA fire 'catastrophe'published at 04:41
The Insurance Council of Australia has declared the Waroona fire a catastrophe and is estimating huge losses to homes and businesses in the area.
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Major highways in Western Australia closed offpublished at 04:32
Western Australia transport officials have closed off several roads and major highways in the region due to the bushfire emergency warning. More details on road conditions here, external.
Waroona fire latest in series of blazespublished at 04:32
With Australia experiencing its fifth hottest year on record in 2015, bushfires - common at this time of the year - have cropped up with ferocity throughout the country. Four people were killed in fires sparked by lightning in Western Australia in November, and more than 100 homes were destroyed in fires on Christmas Day in Victoria state.
Haunting images of WA firepublished at 04:30
The Waroona fire has created huge orange plumes of smoke across the region, which residents have been capturing in pictures.
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Fire and storm create extreme weather conditionspublished at 04:21
News and emergency services helicopters are now battling strong winds and dense clouds of smoke to cover the area.
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How bushfire spread across Western Australiapublished at 04:18
This map shows the spread of the fire. Officials estimate that it has burned across more than 50,000 hectares (500 sq km).
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