Emergency services remain on the scene as Bibra Lake fire downgraded

Emergency services are at the scene of a bushfire near Bibra Lake.  (ABC News)

A bushfire that threatened homes in Perth’s south on Tuesday afternoon has been downgraded to ‘advice’.

First reported at 2.40pm, the blaze prompted authorities to urge people in the Cockburn Ice Arena and Adventure World theme park to shelter in place when it was upgraded to an emergency warning just after 4pm.

The fire jumped North Lake Road, a major route in Bibra Lake.

Adventure World was closed but the ice rink was open, as locals visited the centre to keep cool in the 38 degree Celsius heat.

More than 35 firefighting appliances, 80 firefighters, six helicopters and two water-bombers were sent to the scene.

The fire was downgraded to a ‘watch and act’ alert at 5.35pm, and to ‘advice’ just after 9pm.

DFES incident controller Ray Buchan said there was no damage to either facility.

“We’ve managed to actually stop the fire getting into the back of the ice arena and it hasn’t come near Adventure World,” he said.

“We’ve just done an evacuation there as a precautionary measure to get people out of the area because when the fire started … the fire behaviour was looking like it was going to push up into both of those areas.”

Mr Buchan said crews would remain on site overnight to prevent reignition.

DFES Commissioner Darren Klemm said Tuesday’s conditions were the worst the state has seen in two years.

Fire crews on alert as schools shut

Much of southern WA experienced “extreme” bushfire conditions today, with more than 25 schools closed across the state.

DFES acting Great Southern superintendent Mark Feast said crews were on high alert.

“We’ve got additional strike teams and aircraft are available to be deployed in the highest risk areas including Narrogin, Esperance and Albany,” Superintendent Feast said.

He said crews who responded to a recent bushfire in Green Range in the Great Southern had been rested in preparation.

“Crews have had days off and rest and we’ve brought in additional crews who have had rostered days off,” he said.

Department of Education director Lisa Rodgers said the school closures were on advice from DFES and the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) to “ensure the safety of students and staff in our schools”.

“We do everything we can to keep schools open, but when there is an extreme alert issued by DFES and BOM, schools are pre-emptively closed,” she said.

“These schools are not closed because of hot weather in the area. Pre-emptive closures are for schools on the bushfire zone register … and relate to the risk of a bushfire.”

WA in grip of lingering heatwave

It comes as parts of WA continue to bake through a heatwave, with Carnarvon soaring to 49.9C – what’s believed to be the world’s hottest temperature recorded this year – on Sunday.

The south coast faced a major bushfire last week that tore through more than 7500 hectares of scrubland near Green Range, east of Albany.

That and two other fires have been deemed suspicious by police with investigations underway.