“The alert level for this fire has been upgraded due to increased fire activity.”

What to do

• If the way is clear, leave now for a safer place.
• Do not wait and see, leaving at the last minute is deadly.
• If your plan is to stay and actively defend, do not rely on mains water pressure as it may be affected. If you have access to a water tank and plan to defend your home, start patrolling with your hose and put out spot fires.
• If you cannot leave, you need to get ready to shelter in your home and actively defend it.
• If you are not at home, it is too dangerous now to return.
• Close all doors and windows and turn off evaporative air conditioners, but keep water running through the system if possible.
• Residents have been warned they need to leave, and should visit family or friends who live away from the area.

Where to go

A temporary evacuation centre has been set up at the Esperance Civic Centre, Council Place in the Esperance CBD.

Alcohol and pets, except guide and assistance dogs, are prohibited from the evacuation centre.

There is additional camping areas available at the soccer fields at the Greater Sports Ground, with access off Brazier Street.

Motorists have been warned to avoid the area and be aware of emergency services working in the area.

Merivale Road and FIsheries Road have been closed, as well as all nature-based campsites east of Esperance.

Alexander Bay, Kennedy's Beach, Cape Arid National Park and Cape Le Grand National Park are all closed.

What the fire is doing

The fire is considered out-of-control and unpredictable.

Career fire and rescue service, volunteer fire and rescue service, bush fire service, volunteer fire and emergency services, parks and wildlife service firefighters are attending.

Local farmer firefighting units are also helping, and aerial support has been sent to assist crews

The Shire of Esperance, State Emergency Service volunteers, St John Ambulance and WA Police are all also at the scene.

The warning comes after the Bureau of Meteorology warned the “catastrophic” fire conditions were on the way for parts of the state over the long weekend.

A bureau spokesman said the public should be aware of fire ratings and act accordingly.

“The end of summer will see a combination of high temperatures, low humidities, gusty winds and dry vegetation in parts of south eastern WA, resulting in extreme to catastrophic fire weather conditions for today and tomorrow,” he said.

“There is also the risk of some thunderstorms being triggered by the trough, and the lightning associated with those storms could potentially act as a trigger for new fires.

“Winds may well be gusty at times, and directions could be quite changeable as the trough passes through.”

Watch and act alerts nearby

Two bushfire watch and act alerts are also active for the Cape Le Grand National Park near Esperance, and Boyatup near the Cape Arid National Park.

Those camping in Cape Le Grand have been asked to remain vigilant and follow the instructions of park rangers.

“If you plan to leave, leave now to a safer place if the way is clear,” the alert said.

Camping is only allowed at Lucky Bay, but all other campgrounds have been closed.

If campers choose to leave, they are also welcome to attend the Shire of Esperance temporary evacuation centre.

Wylie Bay Beach Access road at the park boundary, Cape Le Grand Road and Dunn Rock Road at Merivale Road have been closed.

The second watch and act alert for Boyatup has been issued for those in or near Tagon Road, Shao Lu Road, Orleans Road, Henkes Road, Muntz Road, Grewar Road, Merivale Road, Fisheries Road and Balladonia Road and surrounding areas in parts of Boyatup, Howick, Beaumont and Cape Arid in the Shire of Esperance.

The fire started in the area on Sunday due to lightning, and has burned through 18,200 hectares so far.

Firefighters have contained the blaze, but have not controlled it and pockets of active fire still exist within the containment lines.

Condingup Primary School has been closed due to the fire, as well as the Thomas River Campsite in the Cape Arid National Park, Cape Arid National Park itself, Peak Charles National Park, Frank Hann National Park and Dundas Nature Reserve.

Fisheries Road from the intersection of Henkes Road and Balladonia Road have been closed.

Fisheries Road is open to local traffic only from the Coolinup Road intersection.

Firefighters have warned everyone in both areas they must leave or prepare themselves to actively defend.

What to do

• If you are not prepared or you plan to leave, leave now if the way is clear.
• If you are well prepared and plan to actively defend your home, make final preparations now.
• If you are not at home, do not try to return as conditions in the area could be very dangerous.
• Close all doors and windows and turn off evaporative air conditioners, but keep water running through the system if possible.