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An emergency warning has been issued for a bushfire threatening lives and homes in the northern Perth suburb of Yanchep.
Fire authorities have confirmed a petrol station has been impacted by fire, as well as a house on the same property.
Helicopter footage from the scene showed structures on fire at the petrol station, including a number of surrounding vehicles.
More than 100 firefighters and four water bombers are working to extinguish the out-of-control blaze, which is moving fast in a north-westerly direction.
The fire has already burnt through about 550 hectares of dense scrub about 50 kilometres north of Perth.
People in an area bounded by Yanchep Beach Road, Old Yanchep Road, Marmion Avenue and Indian Ocean Drive have been urged to actively defend their properties or leave now.
Almost 1,400 homes close to the fireground are without power.
An evacuation centre has been set up at the Gumblossom Community Centre in Quinn Rocks.
Yanchep resident Marvin "Zippy" Harper said he evacuated as soon as he saw flames close to his street.
"We heard a loud bang — I don't know whether that was the petrol station going up — then next minute, you know the fire was coming quicker and quicker so we had to get out," he said.
"It was bigger than the trees, some of the flames. It was pretty bad."
.jpg-1/11790900 "Marvin 'Zippy' Harper")
Anita McInnes evacuated her home in Yanchep to stay with family for the night.
"When it first started there was the strongest smell — when I opened my front door it was just like the bushfire was right in my yard, that's how strong it was," she said.
Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions officer Mark Tugley said a forecast wind change has not altered the course of the fire as hoped.
"Overnight, the easterly winds will continue to persist so we're unlikely to see a wind change that is going to drive the fire in a different direction," he said.
"It is making conditions challenging. Obviously, we've had very high maximum temperatures today and that is forecast again for tomorrow."
Mr Tugley said winds are forecast to pick up speed during the night, which would present another challenge to firefighters.
"Our crews will remain on the fireground throughout the evening all the way through until we get fixed wing aircraft supporting us again from 6:30 in the morning."
He said the main priority was protecting homes in neighbourhoods on the western side of the fire front.
Three major roads in the area have been shut including a 13 kilometre stretch of Indian Ocean Drive from Breakwater Drive to Pipidinny Road.
Yanchep Beach Road and Old Yanchep Beach Road have also been closed, as well as Yanchep National Park.
A watch and act alert has also been issued for much of the Yanchep town site between Yanchep Beach Road and Brazier Road.
The alert has also been extended to the town of Two Rocks, about eight kilometres north of Yanchep.
There is a possible threat to lives and homes as a fire is approaching in the area and conditions are changing.
A bushfire advice alert has also been issued for people east of Indian Ocean Drive.
The cause of the fire is unknown.
Toodyay bushfire emergency
Meanwhile, an earlier emergency warning has been downgraded for a fire burning near the town of Toodyay, about 80 kilometres north-east of Perth.
A watch and act alert is active for people south of Folewood Road, east of Sandplain Road, and north and west of Toodyay Road, including Majestic Height and Majestic Waters.
The bushfire is moving fast in a north-easterly direction.
Toodyay resident and volunteer firefighter Chris Wood said flames tore through the local golf course.
"Someone's been whipper snipping, tidying up around a house and there's been a spark of some description which has lit up a fire and off she went," he said.
The fire broke out in the same area where 38 homes were destroyed in a fire in 2009.
Topics: bushfire, fires, disasters-and-accidents, perth-6000, wa
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