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A bushfire is burning out of control in Perth's northern suburbs after a late wind change forced fresh evacuations and spread the danger zone out further.
At least 10 homes and four structures have been lost, while more than 500 people are without electricity and up to 100 transmission lines have been impacted due to the fires across the City of Wanneroo and Swan.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Service (DFES) issued an emergency warning for residents in parts of Banksia Grove, Carramar, Jandabup, Mariginiup, Melaleuca, Sinagra, Tapping and Wanneroo.
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As the situation is constantly changing, residents in the area are advised to stay up to date with the latest emergency warnings and advice on the Emergency WA website.
A bushfire watch and act alert has also been issued for parts of Banksia Grove, Tapping, Carramar, Gnangara, Lexia, Jandabup, Mariginiup, Melaleuca, Sinagra, Hocking, Pearsall and Wanneroo.
Premier Roger Cook will cut a five-day work trip to China short and return home to Western Australia.
"I've decided to return from my trade visit in Shanghai early, so I can arrive back in Perth around midday tomorrow [3pm AEDT]," he said on Facebook on Thursday night.
"Right now the most important thing I can do is be back in WA, providing support to Western Australians devastated by the fires in our northern suburbs and our incredible emergency personnel.
"I want to make sure I'm on hand to provide any assistance I can."
Cook has been in Shanghai to promote new investment and trade opportunities between the state and China.
He said he had been continually briefed as the situation evolved.
The fires are expected to burn for several days due to strong winds and high temperatures.
"It could take some time before the fire is brought under control," Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson said
"Please follow directions from emergency services and please be patient as we work to make this area safe again.
"Please take the opportunities to keep your families safe, get a bushfire plan in place.
"It takes less than 15 minutes and it could make a difference."
A severe heatwave is affecting the state's central west, lower west and south-west areas, including the Perth metropolitan area.
A large air tanker that was flown in from NSW on Tuesday has been used to fight the flames.
Homes lost as fires continue to burn
Communities are assessing the damage as the bushfires continue to burn.
Dhanh Dinh made a dash from his Mariginiup farm on Ranch Road last night as the blaze approached.
Upon returning to his home this morning, he saw a charred mess which he described as "very bad".
Others have returned to their property to discover they are the lucky ones.
Mark Douglas, who has lived in the community of Tapping for 17 years, said he has never seen a fire in nearby Da Vinci Park.
"Embers, the firies at the front, a lot of smoke, a lot of flashing lights in the smoke – it's just something you don't want to see," Douglas said.
Volunteering WA said it was taking registrations for people to assist fire-affected communities.
It needs volunteers to help with donation sorting, supply delivery and drop off, and welfare support.
DFES said agency members have already been overwhelmed with donation offers for evacuation centres.
"We have been incredibly humbled by the number of people wishing to help emergency services personnel and members of the community impacted by the bushfire in the City of Wanneroo," the agency said on social media on Thursday night.
"These generous offers of time and donations show how truly compassionate Western Australians are.
"Department of Communities has set up an Evacuation Centre for people displaced by the fire, and there is an animal evacuation area at the Wanneroo Showgrounds specifically for animals and pets.
"The evacuees, both people and animals, are being provided with everything they need in the short term such as food, clothes and toys.
"We are asking you to please hold onto your donations at this time."
What we know so far
The bushfire started at Aubin Grove on Wednesday morning.
The fire resulted in the closure of the Kwinana Freeway in both directions for about an hour.
The blaze also prompted the evacuation of three schools in the area and a childcare centre.
DFES Commissioner Darren Klemm said this fire was quickly brought under control with the assistance of firefighters on the ground and firefighting helicopters.
After midday on Wednesday, a fire started to burn at Mariginiup and fire crews were immediately sent to fight the blaze.
This includes both volunteer and career firefighters.
The fire quickly moved in a westerly direction due to the influence of strong easterly winds and elevated temperatures.
Klemm said the fire was then held up at Pinjar Road between 7pm and 8pm (10pm and 11pm AEDT) on Wednesday, where career and volunteer firefighters put containment lines on parts of the fire.
There was a breakout on the south-west corner of the fire at about 4am (7pm AEDT) on Thursday.
Residents in the vicinity of the fire were alerted about the new development.
Klemm said this fire was brought under control "reasonably quickly".
Firefighters spent Thursday afternoon battling blazes from the ground and the air amid challenging conditions from strong easterly and occasionally north-easterly winds.
