Bushfires on the edge of the Nullarbor have forced authorities to close a 330-kilometre stretch of outback highway, causing chaos for truck drivers and holiday makers just five days before Christmas.



Key points: Truckies and holidaymakers crossing the Nullarbor are facing delays, with a sizeable section of the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway shut down

Truckies and holidaymakers crossing the Nullarbor are facing delays, with a sizeable section of the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway shut down Some motorists are predicting chaos when the highway reopens, as traffic — particularly trucks — banks up at roadblocks

Some motorists are predicting chaos when the highway reopens, as traffic — particularly trucks — banks up at roadblocks Motorists are being turned back on the Eyre Highway, hundreds of kilometres from the fire in an effort to ease traffic in Norseman

The fire, which is burning about 20 kilometres west of Norseman, has consumed more than 71,000 hectares since it was reported on Monday.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services still has the fire at an advice level, with no immediate threat to lives or homes.

Firefighters are strengthening containment lines to protect the townsite, with five trucks on the scene and two water bombers being called in today.

The Coolgardie-Esperance Highway was shut around 8pm last night and will be closed until at least Monday between the small towns of Kambalda and Norseman.

Roadblocks stretching all the way to Esperance on WA's south-east coast are in place, but will be reassessed tomorrow morning.

The highway runs north-south through Norseman, which is described as the gateway to the Nullarbor and is a popular pit stop for truck drivers carrying freight east-west along the Eyre Highway.

Motorists are now being turned back at Balladonia, 220km away, on the Eyre Highway to ease traffic flow into Norseman.

Truck driver Jasbir Singh said the long hours waiting for the road to reopen near Coolgardie was frustrating. ( ABC Goldfields: Jarrod Lucas )

Truckies stranded as mercury skirts 50 degrees

The ABC has seen at least a dozen trucks parked outside roadblocks in Coolgardie waiting for the highway to reopen, while many bypassed the town to drive into Kalgoorlie-Boulder.

Perth truck driver Jasbir Singh, who is on his weekly freight route to Melbourne, had been stuck in Coolgardie for more than 12 hours and was running low on food and water.

He said truck drivers were regularly communicating with each other on the radio about the latest bushfire information, and that the same scenario happened last summer when he was stranded in Coolgardie.

"It is a really busy time on the road, lots of people are moving for Christmas but because of the bushfires there are more delays," Mr Singh said.

"The companies are pushing you but what can you do?

"It is pretty frustrating."

There were reports of truck tyres blowing out in the extreme heat on the Nullarbor, with Eucla reaching a record 49.8 degrees Celsius on Thursday.

Dean Short and his family were on a road trip to Melbourne for Christmas when they were stranded in Coolgardie. ( ABc Goldfields: Jarrod Lucas )

'No rush'

Perth man Dean Short, who is driving to Melbourne with his wife and three children for Christmas, said the plan was to arrive at their destination by Sunday night.

The family has been on the road since 4.30am today, and Mr Short said he only heard about the fires on ABC Radio when the family was about 100km away from Coolgardie.

"We've got a tent, so we'll sleep on the side of the road if we have to," Mr Short said.

"We'll do it like the old days and just get there when we get there."

Mr Short said emergency services had made the right decision to close the highway, pointing to the Boorabbin bushfire disaster on New Year's Eve 2007, when three truck drivers were killed after the Great Eastern Highway was re-opened.

"We prefer caution," he said.

"It's just another day, there's no rush."

Gavin Trevena and his partner Michelle Clark were weighing up their options after running into roadblocks in Coolgardie. ( ABC Goldfields: Jarrod Lucas )

Road chaos tipped on Nullarbor

Gavin Trevena and his partner Michelle Clark from Mandurah are heading to Fraser Island in Queensland, via Melbourne where they will spend Christmas with family.

It is the first time driving the Nullarbor for Mr Trevena, who urged other motorists to exercise caution.

"We're trying to find alternative routes, but no luck so far," he said.

"It is what it is, you just have to go with it.

"There's not much you can do about it.

"Obviously with all the cars and trucks banking up, I'd say it's going to be chaos when they do reopen the roads and people are trying to overtake.

"If everyone is just patient and tries to avoid the road rage incidents, hopefully we'll all get through okay."

DFES officials are set to meet later today to reassess whether the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway can be reopened.

Meanwhile, DFES declared an emergency bushfire today at Israelite Bay, a popular camping ground in Cape Arid National Park, about 200km east of Esperance.

The emergency will not be downgraded until authorities are confident they have evacuated all campers and hikers who may be in the path of the fire.