Keysbrook: Heartbreak as more homes are lost in out-of-control WA bushfires

Firefighters are battling multiple blazes across Western Australia as authorities warn of more ‘difficult’ days over the Christmas period. 

Seven emergency-level blazes have destroyed homes and torn through bushland, rural properties and suburbs on Perth’s fringes in the past three days.

Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm said strong, gusty winds had pushed the blazes to catastrophic levels.

He warned the threat would remain through the Christmas holiday.

‘There is still some difficult weather ahead of us as we head into Sunday, Monday and Tuesday,’ he told reporters on Friday.

Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm said strong, gusty winds had pushed the blazes to catastrophic levels (pictured, bushfires in Wanneroo, Perth)

On Saturday, the weather bureau issued an extreme fire danger warning for the Burrup district, north west of Karratha.

‘Fresh west to northwest winds and hot conditions will lead to elevated fire dangers,’ the warning read.

A strong wind warning is in place for coastal Pilbara, Perth, Bunbury, and Leeuwin.

Heatwave conditions in some parts of the state are waning, with the worst of the extreme heat now pushing into the NT.

But the weather bureau says there will still be severe heatwave warnings in place for WA for a while to come.

‘Severe heatwave conditions over much of northern and central WA continuing into next week,’ the bureau warned.

‘Locations likely to be impacted include Kununurra, Marble Bar, Newman and Wyndham.’

There are two fires burning at Watch and Act level on Saturday.

A blaze north east of Mandurah was downgraded overnight.

The other fire is burning south at Northcliff in the Manjimup shire.

‘There is a possible threat to lives and homes as a uncontrolled bushfire is burning in the area and people still need to stay alert,’ Emergency WA warned.

A total fire ban is in place for the area.

Despite the heatwave conditions in parts of WA waning, the weather bureau says there will still be severe heatwave warnings in place for WA for a while to come

The weather bureau issued an extreme fire danger warning for the Burrup district, and there is also strong wind warnings in place for coastal Pilbara, Perth, Bunbury, and Leeuwin

A blaze at Parkerville in Perth’s hilly east razed three homes after starting when a tree fell onto powerlines on Thursday.

Local resident Mark Norton lost his home of 18 years in the fire, and returned to his property on Friday to inspect what was left.

‘Looking inside, there are no floors, everything has dropped through, there’s nothing recognisable … half the walls have fallen through,’ he said.

‘It doesn’t look like my own house.’

Mr Norton said he had seconds to evacuate as the fire raced towards him.

‘There was no time to grab anything by the time I smelt the fire … I knew I had like moments or seconds to go,’ he said.

‘You grab a box of photographs and your back-ups and that’s the only thing you have time for.’

Firefighters were also battling blazes near the town of Toodyay, 90km northeast of Perth, and near Bunbury, 180km to the south.

Residents in the fishing town of Lancelin, 126km north of Perth, were forced to flee to the tiny town’s jetty late Wednesday as a blaze that started on a golf course bore down on them.