Australian town declared natural disaster after being ravaged by fires

The rural community of Toodyay, about 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Perth was declared a natural disaster zone by the Western Australia Premier Colin Barnett after the blaze roared through the town, fuelled by scorching temperatures and high winds. At least 37 homes were lost to the flames. "It's a devastating fire with great destruction," Mr Barnett told reporters.

Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) spokesman Allen Gale said that the number of homes destroyed could rise. "House after house has been destroyed, in a line, and there are still pockets where the fire is still burning," he added.

The wildfires, the most destructive this year in Western Australia, have once more raised concerns that this bushfire season will be the worst Australia has ever faced. It is the third time in a week that uncontrollable fires have devastated homes and threatened lives around the country.

Today, hundreds of residents fled for their lives as flames up to six feet (2m) high, fanned by 30 mph winds razed homes, powerlines and fences in the wheatbelt town, and turned 7,500 acres of forest and farmland into a blackened, apocalyptic wasteland.

Even as the Toodyay fires were contained late on Wednesday afternoon, a second major fire remained out of control near the village of Badgingarra, 100 miles (160km) north of Perth.