People are being urged to check their travel plans ahead of the long weekend, with a number of large bushfires burning out of control and extreme to catastrophic fire weather conditions forecast for WA's south east until Saturday.
There are seven bushfires burning in the Goldfields-Esperance region and conditions have intensified in recent days, with hot and windy weather and the potential for dry lightning.
More than 200 firefighters and 11 aircraft are fighting the fires, which have burnt through more than 230,000 hectares.
A watch and act alert has been issued for parts of Boyatup, Howick, Beaumont and Cape Arid in the Shire of Esperance, where an out of control bushfire has burnt through 19,200 hectares.
"These fires are going to go for some time," Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) deputy commissioner of operations Gary Gifford said.
"I've got to stress there's minimal life and assets under threat at this point in time, but that could change very quickly as the hot and windy conditions as forecast by the Bureau [of Meteorology] will test containment lines."
No need to alter travel plans
Mr Gifford said while there were fires burning near Esperance, there was no current threat to the town itself.
"So there's no need to cancel your travel plans, however I would encourage motorists and travellers travelling into the area to check the Main Roads and Emergency Western Australia websites before they do so, so their plans are not interrupted," he said.
"These fires have been caused by lightning, and the roads and the highways near and around Esperance are under some level of threat.
"Parks and Wildlife have closed a number of camp grounds in and around the region and I'd encourage people to check [its] website prior to going camping."
More than 2,000 people are expected to visit the region this Labour Day long weekend, with many expected to attend one of four major events taking place in Esperance.
Mr Gifford said with accommodation booked out, the army had set up a camp for fire crews.
"To minimise any impact on small business we sought the assistance of the Australian Defence Force through Commonwealth arrangements, and they've erected a 300-person camp down in Esperance to accommodate our firefighters," he said.
Temperatures test records
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said the end of summer would see a combination of high temperatures, low humidity, gusty winds and dry vegetation in parts of south-eastern WA.
"We have a trough of low pressure currently sitting through the area … [and] we're expecting temperatures reaching into the mid-40s, windy and gusty conditions, and very dry as well through those areas," acting BOM state manager James Ashley said.
"On the southern side of the trough, a cooler change is pushing through the Esperance area and as the trough moves northwards and eastwards overnight tonight that southerly change with cooler conditions will extend right across the Goldfields area.
"So with those windy, dry conditions to the east of the trough, fire dangers are extreme to catastrophic through those areas and as the trough moves eastwards those extreme to catastrophic fire dangers will move into the Eucla and southern interior of the state tomorrow."
Mr Ashley said temperatures were unusually hot in areas like Kalgoorlie, which today equalled its hottest temperature on record for the month of 44.9 degrees Celsius.
