Daily London
A man aged in his 60s has died fighting bushfires in southern Western Australia, police said today.
He was operating a front-end loader to build a firebreak against a large bushfire in West River, near Ravensthorpe, about 541km south-east of Perth.
Emergency services were called about 2.20pm yesterday when the vehicle was engulfed by flames.
Despite the efforts of paramedics, he died at the scene.
Police will investigate the death and prepare a report for the coroner.
The fire has spread across 300 hectares of farmland.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but is currently not being treated as suspicious.
His death came as fire authorities battled bushfires in mid-western WA, driven by scorching temperatures and high winds.
The Bureau of Meteorology today issued an extreme fire danger warning for the Midwest Inland, Yarra Yarra, Mortlock, Avon, Lockwood, Roe and Esperance Coast fire districts.
