UPDATED: Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015 at 11.30 a.m. AEST
Bushfires raging in southern Western Australia have left at least four dead.
In a press conference Wednesday, WA Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Wayne Gregson said the blazes were caused by a series of dry lightening strikes. The hot, dry and windy weather in the state over the weekend resulted in "catastrophic fire conditions."
The blazes have burnt thousands of hectares of bush and farming land. A number of buildings have also been lost.
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On Tuesday night, four people died amid the fire, the Western Australia police confirmed in a statement on Facebook.
"Four people were located deceased in the fire area of Grass Patch, Salmon Gums and surrounding areas in the Shire of Esperance," it said. "Police are unable to provide any further details in relation to the deceased until inquiries are concluded. It is believed the fire was not deliberately lit."
There are unconfirmed reports two adult males and two adult females in two separate cars were involved, Gregson added.
"It's going to have a massive impact on our community, unfortunately we are no stranger to this kind of disaster," Esperance shire president, Victoria Brown, told local ABC radio, "but we have never had it on this scale."
Brown said Tuesday was "the day from hell ... Tragic."
On Tuesday, West Australian farmer Mic Fels tweeted that strong winds and temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) were fanning the flames.
Gusting norwester and 40 degrees fanning this one. Its a nasty one here pic.twitter.com/mwybFpbCxl— Mic Fels (@ipaddockapps) November 17, 2015
We were spared by the late wind change but others not so lucky. Devastation and carnage across a massive front this afternoon.— Mic Fels (@ipaddockapps) November 17, 2015
Colin De Grussa, a politician with The Nationals Western Australia party, also tweeted some images as he left his farm Tuesday.
Bye to the farm as we've been told to evacuate good luck to all #Esperance #bushfires pic.twitter.com/Yz9wcnjqpt— Colin de Grussa (@colbio) November 17, 2015
It's just a sea of glowing embers out here will be a wasteland by the light of day. #bushfire #Esperance— Colin de Grussa (@colbio) November 17, 2015
The WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services has issued an emergency warning for the areas of Stockyard Creek and Mullet Lakes areas in Esperance, Western Australia. That means those in the area "need to act immediately to survive."
More bad weather is expected this Saturday, Sunday and Monday, Gregson advised, resulting in extreme to catastrophic fire conditions across the state. He urged people to follow evacuation orders -- "it is not possible to stay and defend these types of fires."
Bushfire EMERGENCY WARNING for Grass Patch, Salmon Gums and surrounding areas in the Shire of Esperance https://t.co/stAVHyYs0D— DFES (@dfes_wa) November 17, 2015
Global climate change has been linked to the increasing intensity and length of the bushfire season in Australia.