Premier, Ferguson face Waroona/Yarloop bushfire victims | PHOTOS

The recommendations could see volunteer firefighters with expanded roles in fires, a more agile system to apply for burning permits for private owners and the creation of a new Rural Fire Service.

Mr Barnett also defended fire and emergency services, after the inquiry found there was a delay in warning Yarloop and Cookernup residents and no telephone warning was issued.

“The report makes it clear that from an operational point of view some things were done not the way you would hope, but I think it also makes it clear; this was overnight, it was a complete confused situation, intensified, moving quickly so there was no sense that anyone failed in their responsibility or that anyone was negligent in any sense and I think the community recognises that, but sure – in that pandemonium there were clearly lessons to be learned.”

He said all of the 17 recommendations in the report would be followed through.

“Yes, but each will be assessed individually,” he said.

“Most of the operational decisions I think can be acted upon and some already have.

“The big issue will be the structure of the firefighting services.”

Several local politicians, firefighters, police forces and locals attended the meeting at the Harvey Recreation Centre to hear about the results of the special inquiry set up by the Barnett Government.

During the meeting with local residents special inquirer and bushfire expert Euan Ferguson outlined some of the main causes for the fire devastation in January as well as the main recommendations for the state government to follow in the future.

According to Mr Ferguson, WA’s rural firefighting capabilities have eroded and the current system is failing both citizens and government.

He said the nature of the fire and the windy weather conditions made the situation on the ground unpredictable for the firefighter brigades, but he acknowledged the current eroded system played a great role in the escalation of the events.

He said the lack of communication between several units, the road blocks that delayed firefighters getting to the scene, Yarloop running out of water to pump and the lack of information available to the residents were some of the key aspects to improve.

He recommended providing more training and support for local volunteer firefighters, improving evacuation and shelter systems, and better monitoring of the area through new satellite technology.

He also suggested setting up a more accessible and faster system for private land owners to obtain burning permits to minimise bushfire risks.

Mr Ferguson advocated for the creation of a Rural Fire Service in WA to manage bushfire prevention and coordinate action in case of fire.

Premier Colin Barnett said the government had already made several changes to accommodate the report’s recommendations but it would to take time for all of them to be implemented. 

Earlier on Thursday, Mr Barnett tabled Mr Ferguson’s report in parliament.

Opposition leader Mark McGowan welcomed the release of the report and said it required a “mature political response” after considered reflection and consultation.

“This report will not necessarily give closure to the residents of Yarloop who on a daily basis are having to endure a painfully slow recovery process,” he said.

“It’s important that recommendations are not necessarily seen as silver bullets.”

However, shadow emergency services minister Margaret Quirk criticised the government for failing to implement the recommendations of previous inquiries.

“The current government needs to learn and take responsibility for not having properly addressed the same recurring issues that have also been highlighted in previous reports,” she said.

“The most important objective should be to attain a seamless interoperability between fire-fighting groups.”