Bushfire Emergency Warning Brand Hwy Muchea - Lives in danger

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Note: Brand Hwy closed in both directions from Gingin to Muchea

Bushfire EMERGENCY WARNING for Brand Highway in North Muchea in the Shires of Chittering and Gingin

Sunday 22 November 2015 - 6:30 PM

A bushfire EMERGENCY WARNING has been issued for people near Brand Highway between Byrne Road and Airfield Road in North Muchea in the shires of Chittering and Gingin.

•        The alert level for this fire has been upgraded as it is approaching Brand Highway and nearby properties.
•        Homes along Brand Highway between Timaru Road and Byrne Road are under threat by fire now.
•        You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. There is a threat to lives and homes.
•        The fire started on the east side of Yanchep pine plantation and has moved into Unallocated Crown Land. It is burning towards Brand Highway.

BUSHFIRE BEHAVIOUR:
•        The bushfire is moving fast in a south-easterly direction at 1500m per hour.
•          It is out of control and unpredictable.
•          Burning embers may be blown around your home. WHAT TO DO:
•      If the way is clear, leave now for a safer place.
• Do not wait and see, leaving at the last minute is deadly.
• There is ember attack ahead of the fire, so close all doors and windows, and turn off evaporative air conditioners, but keep water running through the system if possible.
• If your plan is to stay and actively defend, do not rely on mains water pressure as it may be affected. If you have access to a water tank and plan to defend your home, start patrolling with your hose and put out spot fires.
• If you cannot leave, you need to get ready to shelter in your home and actively defend it.
• If you are not at home, it is too dangerous now to return.
SAFER PLACE:
•        Your safest option may be to visit family or friends who live away from the area. SAFEST ROUTE:
•        If you live in north of Bore Road leave via Brand Highway to the north. South of Bore Road leave via Brand Highway to the south.ROAD CLOSURES:
Avoid the area and be aware of fire and other emergency services personnel working on site.

A number of roads have been closed including:
Brand Highway between Cockram Road and the intersection of Railway Parade and Brand Highway just north of Muchea townsite.
Road information may also be available by calling Main Roads WA on 138 138 or visit www.mainroads.wa.gov.au

RECREATION SITE CLOSURES:
No recreation sites are closed.KEEP UP TO DATE:
Visit www.dpaw.wa.gov.au,www.dfes.wa.gov.au, call 13 DFES (13 3337), follow Parks and Wildlife on Facebook or Twitter @WAParksWildlife, listen to ABC local radio, 6PR or news bulletins.

Updates will be provided hourly unless the situation changes.

Video: This is what was causing the smoke all over town

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Thanks Faye for sending in this video footage. 

 "This is what all the smoke over town; was from a tree on fire next to the GBH carpark"

Thanks Stephanie for sending these in. 

Severe fire danger advice

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The following alert has been issued by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES).
Time of issue: 4.55pm
Date of issue: 15 November 2015

Severe fire danger advice for inland parts of the Central West on Monday

A Severe Fire Danger Rating has been forecast for Monday 16 November for the inland parts of the Central West.

This includes the local government districts of:

- - City of Greater Geraldton – inland part
- Shire of Chapman Valley – inland part
- Shire of Mingenew
- Shire of Morawa
- Shire of Northampton – inland part
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These are very hot, dry and windy conditions for a bush or grass fire.

If a fire starts and takes hold:

- - It will be unpredictable, move very fast and difficult for firefighters to bring under control.
- Spot fires will start and move quickly. Embers may come from many directions.

If you live in or near bush, or a forested area you are at risk and need to act now:

- Read through your bushfire survival plan. If you do not have one decide what you will do if a fire starts.
- If you are not prepared to the highest level, leaving bushfire risk areas early in the day is your safest option.
- Homes that are prepared to the highest level, have been constructed to bushfire protection levels and are actively defended may provide safety.
- You must be physically and mentally prepared to defend in these conditions.

To find out what the Fire Danger Rating means to you visit www.dfes.wa.gov.au or call 9395 9300 during normal office hours.

Check the Fire Danger Rating for your area by visiting www.bom.gov.au or call 1300 659 213 (call charges apply).

Bad Weather Alert

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Take action with bad weather in parts of the Midwest Gascoyne, Goldfields Midlands and Perth Metropolitan regions 

Thursday 30 July 2015 - 4:34 PM

If you live in an area west of a line from Geraldton to Morawa to Southern Cross to Hyden to Mandurah you should take action and stay safe with bad weather to continue. 

This includes people in Geraldton, Jurien Bay, Dalwallinu, York, Southern Cross and the Perth Metropolitan region and surrounding areas. 

This is weather is not typical for this time of year and could cause damage to homes and make travel dangerous.  

WHAT TO DO: 

• If outside find safe shelter away from trees, powerlines, storm water drains and streams.

• Close your curtains and blinds, and stay inside away from windows. 

• Unplug electrical appliances and avoid using landline telephones if there is lightning. 

• If there is flooding, create your own sandbags by using pillow cases filled with sand and place them around doorways to protect your home. 

• If boating, swimming or surfing leave the water. 

IF DRIVING:

• Do not drive into water of unknown depth and current. 

• Slow down, turn your lights on and keep a safe distance from other drivers. 

• Be alert and watch for hazards on the road such as fallen powerlines and loose debris. 

• If it is raining heavily and you cannot see, pull over and park with your hazard lights on until the rain clears. 

• Take care in areas that have been flooded and be careful driving on gravel roads as surfaces will be slippery and muddy, and vehicles could become bogged. 

STORM/THUNDERSTORM/WEATHER DETAILS:

As at 4.05pm on 30 July 2015 the Bureau of Meteorology advises a rain band with embedded thunderstorms currently lies across northern parts of the warning area. At 3:30 pm, satellite and radar imagery showed areas of moderate to heavy rain between Geraldton and Lancelin, extending eastwards towards Southern Cross. 

Areas of heavy rain will extend southwards during Thursday evening and will lie close to or over the Perth Metropolitan area. Heavy rainfall is more likely over areas to the north of Perth but there remains a risk that Perth will receive rainfall heavy enough to cause FLASH FLOODING. The period of greatest risk for the Perth Metropolitan area is from about 8pm Thursday through to about 2am Friday morning.

The rain band is expected to produce HEAVY RAINFALL that may cause FLASH FLOODING through parts of the warning area. The rain will ease during Friday morning and contract eastwards.

Flood Watches have been issued for the Central West, Central Wheat Belt and Lower West Districts. For further details please refer to http://www.bom.gov.au/wa/warnings/.

There is also the slight risk that thunderstorms with DAMAGING WINDS in excess of 90 kilometres per hour could cause DAMAGE TO HOMES AND PROPERTY during late Thursday afternoon and evening northwest of a line from Lancelin to Wongan Hills to Morawa to Geraldton. This risk of DAMAGING WINDS will ease during Thursday evening. Damaging winds are not expected in the Perth Metropolitan area.

Between 9am and 3:00pm Thursday, the following rainfall totals have been

recorded:

Watheroo (DAFWA): 24.8 millimetres.

Three Springs (DAFWA): 24.2 millimetres.

Warradarge East (DAFWA): 20.8 millimetres.

IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE:

• If your home has been badly damaged by a storm, call the SES on 132 500 

• In a life threatening situation call 000

After a storm State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers make temporary repairs to homes that have been badly damaged, such as roofs that have been ripped off or large fallen trees on homes and cars. Please contact your insurance company to organise permanent repairs. 

KEEP UP TO DATE:

Visit www.dfes.wa.gov.au, call 13 DFES (13 3337), follow DFES on Twitter @dfes_wa or listen to news bulletins.

For the latest weather warnings visit www.bom.gov.au/wa/warnings or call 1300 659 213.

Nearly every Android phone can be hacked with a single text message

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In case you hadn't heard yet, the Internet exploded yesterday with the news of a bug (more of a security vulnerability) called Stagefright that affects about 90% of Android devices. It's actually existed for about 5 years, and gives attackers a simple way to access everything on your device using MMS (picture messages).  

For those of you who are REALLY not tech savvy and don't actually know if you have an Android phone... If your phone has a touch screen and doesn't have an Apple logo on the back, it's probably an Android.  

Fortune has a good Q and A article on the whole debacle. Click here to check it out. 

Long story short-  

It's extremely serious. Google (who makes Android) have already patched it... But the way Android works is it's up to the handset manufacturers and telcos to get updates to you (for example Samsung or Telstra). Good luck waiting for Telstra. 

So what to do until an update is released?  

Click here to visit Twillio and read their instructions for protecting your device.   

 

What to do if you own an iPhone? 

If you own an Apple iPhone this bug doesn't affect you, so you can act smug around anyone with an Android device and make them hate you. 

 

Travelling con-men alert

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Travelling conmen warning after reports in Geraldton

Consumer Protection is once again warning consumers not to deal with ‘bitumen bandits’ who offer to lay driveways on-the-spot with material supposedly leftover from another job and then leave town before you can challenge them about their shoddy work and materials.

Reports received by Consumer Protection’s Mid-West office suggest that two men in high-visibility work clothes, driving a white ute with a New South Wales plate, are approaching home and business owners in Geraldton with the offer of drive-way laying services.

Commissioner for Consumer Protection Anne Driscoll says carrying out work there and then is a sign of a travelling conman.

“Any tradesperson that approaches a consumer uninvited and carries out the job immediately is breaking the Australian Consumer Law by failing to allow a 10-day cooling off period for the customer to think over the unsolicited offer,” she said.

“Experience tells us that travelling conmen can be convincing salespeople and mislead consumers about the value of the work being carried out and quality or source of the materials being used. They have been known to pressure the vulnerable or elderly and have even driven some customers to the bank and used stand-over tactics to get them to withdraw cash.”

The Commissioner says because ‘bitumen bandits’ usually avoid staying in one place for too long that the warning is relevant to all Western Australians.

“Once local authorities such as police and consumer protection officers are aware that these operators are targeting the area, alerts are issued, which can prevent the travelling conmen from convincing further consumers to part with money.

“For that reason all home and business owners in WA, not just those in Geraldton, should shop around for quotes and use local reputable tradespeople when having work carried out.

“Ordinarily if you have a problem with a service, such as a bitumen driveway laid too thinly or of inferior quality, you can seek a repair, replacement or refund under the Australian Consumer Law. However, when travelling conmencome to you unannounced and with limited identification your opportunity to find them and exercise your rights is extremely limited.”

Report travelling conmen by calling Consumer Protection: 1300 30 40 54 with descriptions of the offenders, personal or business names used and vehicle registration numbers if possible.

Truck driver cut from thrown rocks

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We have just received a report of a truck driver being cut after a window in the truck he was driving was smashed. 

The incident occurred 200m East of the John Willcock overpass.  

According to the report sent to Everything Geraldton, kids were hiding in the bushes.  

The driver reportedly received a cut to his neck. 

 

 

Missing Child

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"Missing my 12 year old brother Macka Couzner last seen in spalding, he's afraid of the dark if anyone has seen or heard of him please contact us on 0428230121 or the police please."

We've spoken with the boy's mother who is quite distressed. If anyone is able to help please contact Geraldton Police on 99234555 or the above number.

Update from Police: @GeraldtonPol: Urgent missing person 12 year old Macka COUZNER, wearing grey hooded jumper, black shorts, black/red skate shoes

Assistance sought regarding indecent assault

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Geraldton Detectives are seeking the public’s assistance with information regarding an indecent assault that occurred on Friday, 17 April 2015 in Bluff Point. 

Police say that at about 9:30pm, a 32 year old woman was walking along Railway Street before crossing to North West Coastal Highway through bush land when a man approached her from behind. The man pushed her to the ground and indecently assaulted her.

The woman managed to run away from the man.

The man is described as being 45 to 50 years of age, fair skinned, approximately 165cms tall, with a medium build, thick dark brown hair tied in a ponytail and facial stubble. The man had a tattoo on one arm that appeared to be of Celtic design.

He was wearing black shorts, a black short sleeved shirt and work boots. It is believed the man fled in a grey dual cab utility with a silver bull bar.

Police would like to speak with anyone who was in the area around the time of the incident who may have seen the incident, the vehicle or anyone acting suspiciously.

Anyone with any information is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or Geraldton Detectives on 9923 4555.

Fire in Northampton - Video and Images

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More footage from the fire in Northampton.

Posted by Everything Geraldton on Sunday, April 19, 2015

Fire in Northampton:Warning- Structure fire in Northampton Huge fire at CT & L Woodcock, they are a big business in Northampton, gas bottles exploding etc@GeraldtonPol: Please refrain from attending the Northampton Townsite - roads in and around town remain closed - pls allow emergency services easy access.DFES Alert: http://www.dfes.wa.gov.au/alerts/Pages/Alert.aspx?ItemId=13968

Posted by Everything Geraldton on Sunday, April 19, 2015

Structure Fire in the Northampton in the Shire of Northampton

Sunday 19 April 2015 - 4:20 PM

There is a structure fire on Hampton Road/North West Coastal Highway, near the intersection of Mary Street, in Northampton.
 
The fire started in a hardware store and is now burning in a number of buildings in the area. 
 
Smoke and possibly toxic fumes from the fire are moving in an easterly direction. 


WHAT TO DO:
• WA Police are working in the area to evacuate residents that may be affected. People are urged to follow the advice of Police and leave the area. 
• People should close their doors and windows and switch off air conditioners. 
• People should stay away from the area. If you are already in the area take advice from emergency services personnel.  
• People with medical concerns should contact their local doctor or call Health Direct on 1800 022 222. 
• Your safest option may be to visit family or friends who live away from the area.


ROAD CLOSURES: 
Avoid the area and be aware of fire and other emergency services personnel working on site


A number of roads have been closed including:
• Hampton Road/North West Coastal Highway 
• Mary Street 
• Stephen Street


Road information may also be available by calling Main Roads WA on 138 138 or visiting www.mainroads.wa.gov.au

 

WHAT FIREFIGHTERS ARE DOING:
• Approximately 30 firefighters are on the scene. 
Firefighters have saved a number of buildings and are working to contain the fire.


EXTRA INFORMATION: 
• The incident was reported at 1.41pm today.  
• The cause of the fire is unknown.  

KEEP UP TO DATE: 
Visit www.dfes.wa.gov.au, call 13 DFES (13 3337), follow DFES on Twitter @dfes_wa or listen to news bulletins.

 

The next update will be provided when the situation changes.

Flying Missiles

You can hear the explosions in the videos, and this is why:

Images and videos submitted.