About 95 homes have been destroyed after a bushfire ripped through a Western Australian town.<br />Three people are unaccounted for and one-third of the historic town of Yarloop, south of Perth, has been razed, authorities said.<br />Wind gusts of up to 60km/h (37 m/ph) overnight fanned the blaze, dubbed the Waroona fire, to heights of 50m.<br />The fire continues to threaten towns and strong winds today are expected to again make conditions difficult.<br />Western Australia Fire Commissioner Wayne Gregson told a press conference that the fire in Yarloop was too intense to be tackled head-on.<br />He said that four firefighters were injured battling the blaze and one fire truck was destroyed.<br />The fire has now burned through more than 50,000 hectares (500 sq km) and is threatening towns including Harvey and Preston Beach.
