DIGITAL IMAGE - FIRE DAMAGED SHED AT 7 ROWLEY STREET, KELMSCOTT

This photograph was taken on the 24th of March 2011 of Terry Patrick's destroyed shed. The family lost golf equipment, Masonic material, and tools and gardening equipment that had been stored in the shed. Also in the shed were boxes of ceramics that belonged to his sister who was storing them at his place.
Fortunately, the family home was not damaged (although heat damage to gutters) in the fire, thanks to the efforts of fire crews in the area and Terry's foresight in clearing potential fire threats around his home.
On the morning of 6th of February 2011, a bushfire was accidentally started by an individual using an angle grinder outside, during a total fire ban. Sparks from the angle grinder set nearby dry grass on fire. High easterly winds caused this scrub fire to quickly turn into a bushfire. Over the course of the rest of the day, the fire spread westerly out of Roleystone, down the hill and into Kelmscott. 150 fire-fighters were on the ground during the peak of the bushfire. Residents in the path of the fire were ordered to evacuate immediately. Over 4,000 people were evacuated during the bushfire. Many families lost their homes. 69 homes were destroyed with another 71 badly damaged. Residents were evacuated to the Armadale Arena on Townly Street, which was turned into the emergency evacuation centre. Most residents spent the night there and it was not for a few days before they were allowed back into the area to see if their homes had survived.
The Armadale Arena remained a one stop resource centre for victims of the bushfire for 2 weeks after the event.
This bushfire is now regarded as one of the worst in WA history due to the number of homes lost. No one was killed during the bushfire.
For further information, see the Birtwistle Local Studies Library.