“I can tell you that early this morning there was an incredibly confronting situation where 80-kilometre easterly winds whipped up the fire and headed it towards the Nazareth residential aged care facility,” he said.
Firefighters were able to block the fire encroaching, in what Papalia said was an “incredible effort”.
Waggrakine Primary School was also saved yesterday, despite being in the path of the fire.
The blaze is burning close to homes.
However, firefighters said one home could not be saved, as well as five vehicles, a number of sheds and outbuildings and fence lines.
Authorities said one house had also sustained some minor damage, valued to be about $50,000.
Papalia said early indications showed the fires were likely the work of arson.
“There has been some suspicion some of these fires may have been initiated intentionally,” he said.
“That is appalling … and totally unacceptable behaviour.”
WA Police’s arson squad, DFES investigators and local detectives have already begun work on tracing the cause of the blaze.
Papalia also said police would be prosecuting those who were flying drones near the fires.
DFES Commissioner Darren Klemm said he did not expect conditions to ease for some time.
“[We’re in for] a really challenging afternoon … we’re going to see the wind move from the north-east to the south-west … this brings a significant wind change that is going to test the easterly side of this fire,” he said.
Klemm said an extra 18 firefighters were brought up from Perth last night, and another 23 would join locals today.
Four primary schools have been closed as the fires continue to burn, and more than 2000 houses and businesses have been left without power.
Residents have been warned to evacuate in Moresby and Glenfield, Sunset Beach, and in parts of Spalding and Bluff Point.
Loading
In Waggrakine and Moresby, residents have also been warned to not attempt to return to their properties as firefighters continue to work.
More than a dozen roads have been closed as a precaution, and two evacuation centres have been opened at the QEII Seniors and Community Centre, and at the Northampton Recreation Centre.
“It’s the first day of summer, and not surprisingly, and I think we all need to be aware of this. It is going to be a hot summer, and we must all be very careful,” Cook said.
