Carnarvon banana crops are likely to escape a massive bushfire that will continue to burn in the state's north throughout the weekend, but growers say the days of cheap bananas are still numbered.
The fire, which has already razed more than 200,000 hectares, will likely flare up again this afternoon as firefighters, local pastoralists and the Shire of Carnarvon work to create fire breaks around the "cigar-shaped" blaze that is spread as far as the Kennedy Range to the North West Coastal Highway just north of Carnarvon.
Department of Environment and Conservation incident controller John Tillman said although the supply route to Exmouth and Coral Bay from Perth was cut off by the North West Coastal Highway closure there was still other ways of getting critical food and supplies into the satellite coastal towns.
Fears that a southerly wind change yesterday afternoon could bring the fire closer to the river, where it could travel unimpeded to banana plantations, appear unfounded.
"It's still a long, long way away. It's 60 kilometres at its closet point and 20 kilometres off the Gascoyne River, so it's no threat to plantations at this stage at all," Mr Tillman said.
He said that the plantations were well protected in any case due to the local bore fields, which could be used as a fall-back position to keep crops from catching alight.
"The important thing is to protect key infrastructure, stations, outbuilding and yards," he said.
Carnarvon's Sweeter Banana spokeswoman Doriana Mangli said the fire would only be a threat if it came down the river system.
"If it started to threaten crops they would throw everything at it to stop it," she said.
"To come through the floods last year and everything else, it would be pretty devastating to then face this as well."
She said while the floods across Australia, including Queensland had caused 90 per cent of the banana supply to be wiped out, local growers were recovering from strong demand and the loyalty of its customers.
She said the current low prices for bananas, down to an average of about $3 a kilogram, had been caused by Queensland growers flooding the market.
"The decrease in price is not sustainable since farmers aren't breaking even and prices will have to go back up again," she said.
"It's costing more to send them than they make back. It's gone from high prices to very low but it will likely settle somewhere in the middle."
Mr Tillman praised the work of pastoralists, whose local knowledge of how fires burn historically has helped keep damage limited to a few fences, with no reports of stock deaths.
In the meantime people looking to travel to Carnarvon were being advised to avoid the area since many visitors were finding themselves stranded with no accommodation.
"Accommodatio n is getting tight in Carnarvon. For those who have already booked accommodation they should take an alternative travel route," Mr Tillman said.
Trucking companies have been alerted and were working well with Main Roads to find alternative routes for getting goods to businesses in Coral Bay and Exmouth by the weekend, he said.
"The shire is used to this situation after last year's floods lasted 14 days. They have gotten good with contingency plans," he said.
"There's always the long way around and although it's many hundreds of kilometres they're not totally isolated. They can still bring supplies from the north and if they're coming from Perth; they can come the inland route and back across the top."
He said most of the work to create fire breaks was occurring at night when the temperature had cooled and the sea breeze had kicked in fanning flames back towards the burnt areas.
He said fresh fire crews would be flown up from Perth today.
"We rotate crews after a few days because it gets pretty tough up here as you can imagine," he said.
Watch and Act
A bushfire watch and act remains in place for a series of homesteads near Carnarvon as firefighters work to contain the blaze.
The Manberry, Mardathuna, Boologooro, Cooralya and Hill Springs homesteads have been placed on a Watch and Act advice from the Department of Environment and Conservation, who is in control of the blaze.
Also under the Watch and Act are people west of Kennedy Range National Park in the Shire of Carnarvon, with the fire burning about 60 kilometres south of Minilya Roadhouse, adjacent to the North West Coastal Highway.
The DEC warns there is a possible threat to lives and homes as conditions change.
Residents are being urged to put their bushfire survival plan into action.
There is an ember attack ahead of the fire front.
Those south of Cooralya Station can leave south on the North West Coastal Highway towards the Carnarvon townsite.
People north of the Minilya Roadhouse can leave via Exmouth Minilya Road.
A bushfire advice remains in place for people near Minilya Roadhouse. People in the area are being urged to monitor their surroundings, and watch for signs of a bushfire in their area.
Bushfire behaviour
The fire has lost intensity since yesterday, but it still moving in a northerly and north-westerly direction. It is still uncontained
So far, more than 200,000 hectares have been burnt.
The western edge of the fire has crossed North West Coastal Highway and is running westerly towards Lake Macleod, as well as along the eastern edge of the highway.
Today fire crews will be strengthening containment lines north of the Gascoyne River and out to the highway.
Containment lines will also be constructed adjacent to the Great Northern Highway.
Road closures
The North West Coastal Highway remains closed 200 metres north of the Robinson Street intersection; at the Blowholes Road intersection; and at Minilya Roadhouse, with southbound traffic being diverted along Great Northern Highway; and all local tracks are also closed.
Access from Minilya Roadhouse, north to Exmouth, is permitted on the Exmouth Minilya Road.
Email a friend