Waroona bushfires: Firefighters confirm three homes, five chalets lost in out-of-control blaze

Eight residences have been destroyed in the Nanga Brook bushfire, including three homes, as firefighters reveal they have almost contained the out-of-control blaze.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Department of Fire and Emergency Services commissioner Darren Klemm said assessors had identified the lost properties during risk rapid damage checks.

The fire, which was determined to have accidentally started on Saturday after a car battery was used by campers to charge their phones, has been at emergency level for two days and has burned through 3000 hectares of bushland.

Commissioner Klemm said the remaining properties destroyed were understood to be short-stay accommodations.

“We’ll work through the details of this with the owners over the next couple of couple of days,” he said.

“For those families that have lost homes, we understand this can be a difficult time for them, and we’ll be making sure and reaching out to provide support to them as we go through the loss notification process.

“Without the outstanding efforts of the more than 150 firefighters and personnel that worked around the clock since this fire started on Saturday afternoon, there would have been more properties lost or damaged or even a loss of life.”

Commissioner Klemm said firefighters were 90 per cent of the way to containing the fires, with difficult wind and terrain causing bush that had not been burned for up to two decades to burn.

On Monday afternoon, large aerial tankers would undertake a series of drops on the fire’s southern flank to shore up steeper areas, he said.

Premier Roger Cook said Monday that hundreds of firefighters were working to “battle this blaze in extremely challenging conditions”.

“We’re extremely proud of our volunteer and career firefighters who have done an outstanding job,” he said.

“This is an incredibly difficult time for the Waroona community, and again, I’d like to thank everyone who has worked to keep the community safe.

“Our hearts go out to that community and we want people to remain vigilant and to follow the advice on Emergency WA and keep safe. Our thoughts are with you.”

Arson police had initially investigated the fire, their third probe in less than a week, but ruled it accidental after finding the source.

Commissioner Klemm said it had been deemed to have been sparked accidentally by campers who were using a car battery to charge devices.

While a reduced emergency warning zone was still in place on Monday afternoon, Commissioner Klemm said in the best-case scenario, it would be downgraded by the evening.

At a community meeting in Pinjarra on Sunday afternoon, deputy incident controller Shawn Debono said that firefighters could spend the next week or more “suppressing” and mopping up the dangerous fire.

“Our suppression and mop-up efforts will definitely continue for at least the next week,” he said.

“In regards to containment, I can’t make a comment as to when it will be contained or controlled at this stage.

“(But) the mop-up efforts will go on for at least the next week or two.”