Two emergency warnings are active in Western Australia after a blaze broke out in hills east of Perth, as bushfires burn in other parts of the state.

December 21, 2023

Another bushfire is threatening lives and homes in Western Australia, as firefighters and air tankers battle an out-of-control blaze in Perth’s east.

An emergency warning has been issued for the suburb of Parkerville for people in an area bound by Boyamyne Road and Fringeleaf Drive, Granite Road, Hedges Road and Flora Road in the Shire of Mundaring.

“You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive,” the alert issued on Thursday said.

“There is a threat to lives and homes.”

The bushfire is moving in a westerly direction and is “unpredictable”.

It is too late to leave for people east of Gliddon Road.

“It is escalating at the moment,” Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm told reporters.

“We know that Parkerville is an area where we’ve had significant fires before, including loss of home so the concern level is very high.”

An evacuation centre has been opened at Brown Park on Salisbury Road, Swan View.

A second blaze in the state’s southwest continues to test fire crews in hot, dry and windy conditions.

An emergency warning is current for the Shire of Manjimup in the state’s southwest for Callcup, Crowea and Meerup.

Residents there have also been warned there is a threat to their lives and properties.

“Unfortunately this bushfire breached containment lines last night under really strong easterly winds, and the fire escalated significantly,” Mr Klemm said.

“It is burning in some very dense old-growth forest and this fire could continue and we’re expecting it to continue for the next several days.”

The alert was in place for the area bounded by Gumnut Road, Richardson Road, Lewis Road and Warren Beach Track in the south, Tattenham Road and Pemberton-Northcliffe Road in the east, Barker Road, Larkin Road to Larkin Bridge in the north, then southwest to the properties along the Warren River, including the Colonels to the coast.

That bushfire is out of control and moving in a westerly direction.

“We know that today’s going to be a particularly difficult day expecting … those strong easterly winds again, but also thunderstorm activity across large parts of the state,” Mr Klemm said.

The threat has eased near in the Wheatbelt, with an emergency warning downgraded to a watch and act for parts of West Toodyay, Coondle and Julimar in the Shire of Toodyay.

An evacuation centre has been set up at Toodyay Memorial Hall and a community meeting scheduled for 11am AWST on Thursday.

Residents have been told it is still not safe to return to their homes.

A bushfire that had been burning towards the fishing town of Lancelin, 126km north of Perth, was declared contained and controlled early on Thursday morning.

The single road in and out of the town has been reopened, with emergency services escorting vehicles through the fireground.

Total fire bans have been enacted for the Perth Metropolitan, Goldfields Midlands, South West districts on Thursday.