Homes in the Perth Hills are once again under threat, as residents in Helena Valley and Darlington were issued their second emergency warning in just over a month.
Locals were told to leave or prepare to shelter in their homes as a bushfire came dangerously close to properties.
Earlier this evening, the alert was downgraded but Emergency WA warned it's not safe to return as there's still a possible threat to homes and lives overnight.
LATEST UPDATES: See the latest bushfire warnings and alerts here.
Thanks to favourable weather conditions, the blaze has remained stationary for much of the afternoon.
But residents are warned the bushfire is not yet controlled or contained and things can change very quickly.
Earlier in the day, thick smoke made visibility difficult as flames ravaged the hilly and inaccessible terrain, adding to the woes for Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) crews.
"We've got a bit of machinery happening around the perimetre of the fire trying to create this mineral earth break so it won't progress over the night," Tim McGrade from DFES said.
The fire broke out just before 2pm, with residents quickly issued an emergency warning and evacuation centres opened.
Firefighters did not waste any time, tackling the blaze from the ground and the sky while the weather worked in their favour.
"We've been pretty lucky with the wind, it's pretty still at the moment so the fire isn't moving," McGrade said.
The fire burnt through 27 hectares within three hours, the spread reduced by the lack of wind and a pocket only recently burned.
Relief for locals as properties spared and only power poles impacted.
"That's a testament to the crews again and potentially to the community who's prepared, and that's a wonderful thing to see," McGrade said.
A total fire ban is in place for parts of the state.
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