Lives and homes are at risk after an ‘unpredictable’ blaze broke out in the hills east of Perth, with two active emergency warnings issued in Western Australia.

December 21, 2023

Another bushfire is threatening lives in Western Australia, with fears homes have been lost in an out-of-control blaze in Perth’s east.

An emergency warning has been issued for the hills suburb of Parkerville where residents have been warned they need to act immediately to survive

“There is a threat to lives and homes,” the alert issued on Thursday said.

Television footage appears to show flames and smoke billowing from at least one property.

Premier Roger Cook said was a “troubling situation” and the weather was being “very unkind” to firefighters battling the blaze.

“We all have grave concerns for the fire and in Parkerville and our hearts go out to all those people who are involved in in that incident,” he told reporters.

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

Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm said the blaze continued to escalate.

“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,” he said.

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

You need to shelter in your home in a room away from the fire front and make sure you can easily escape,” the Department of Fire and Emergency Services said.

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

Power has been cut to more than 150 properties and roads in and out of the densely wooded area have been closed.

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.”

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.

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.