A Nambeelup mother-of-four has shared the frightening moments her family escaped their home overnight as a fire blazed nearby.
The WA Police Arson Squad believe the fire, which burned about 65 hectares of land, started after a vehicle was set alight about 8.45pm on Wednesday night, near Lakes Road and Yangedi Road.
Hero Court resident, Belle Bombardieri, said she received a phone call about 8.45pm from her family who live nearby, alerting her of the blaze.
"My husband and I ran down the road and saw it was about 120-150 metres from our home," she said.
"It just ripped through the bush.
"It was like listening to the ocean, you know the crashing and swirling?
"That's what it sounded like ripping forward."
Mrs Bombardieri said she woke her four young children, found the pets and packed her car.
"Collecting four kids in a short amount of time was scary - especially knowing how fast it was moving," she said.
"I packed jewellery, bank certificates, insurance paperwork, business paperwork and things my kids would need to get them through if we were to lose the house."
Mrs Bombardieri said she turned the sprinklers on and prepared the hoses.
"I stayed as long as I could," she said.
"You work so hard for your home, you don't want to lose it.
"It became too smoky and risky so we left - my brother stayed to defend the home."
The family evacuated to the Lakes Road truck bay, where they waited overnight with dozens of neighbours.
Mrs Bombardieri said her neighbour Ralph Agostino lost his $70,000 truck in the fire, while he was fighting the blaze.
Mr Agostino said the flames were "out of control" by the time he reached his property, located near the vehicle fire.
"I tried to contain it to the property, but the wind was just too strong," he said.
"I did the best I could to put out fires until about 2.30am."
Unfortunately, Mr Agostino's truck went up in flames.
"It's my livelihood," he said.
"If the fire was deliberate, it's pretty sick. They've put people's lives at risk."
On Thursday morning, evacuated residents sat in their cars lining Lakes Road.
Residents were allowed back into their properties about 9.30am.
The fire came dangerously close to homes, but no properties were destroyed.
About 70 firefighters are still at the scene establishing containment lines.
A DFES spokeswoman said 130 firefighters were at the scene at the height of the blaze.
Mr Agostino said he was disappointed water bombers were not used.
"I thought they would have got the bombers out this morning to put out the spot fires, but there was none in sight, which is pretty slack really," he said.
Mrs Bombardieri said she would keep paperwork and her passport in one area in the future, so she could leave home faster in the case of an emergency.
Anyone with information regarding the fire is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a report online at www.crimestopperswa.com.au.
Rewards of up to $50,000 are available for information that leads to the identification and conviction of an arsonist.