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WA Bushfires: Man Charged In Relation To A Fire University Evacuated, One Home Destroyed

WA Bushfires: Man Charged After Fire Destroyed A Home
Twitter: Nine News

A 26-year-old man has been charged with allegedly lighting a bushfire north of Perth that destroyed a house and forced the evacuation of a university.

Police said the fire started in a camping ground near Joondalup and quickly spread to the nearby Edith Cowan University causing an evacuation of the staff, students and a childcare centre.

One nearby home was lost.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) on Monday night said spot fires were threatening nearby suburbs, saying "You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. There is a threat to lives and homes."

By late on Monday evening, the threat had subsided and people were allowed to return to their homes.

However, DFES advised residents and students to pay attention to alerts as the situation may change on Tuesday.

Cyclists and pedestrians were also urged to avoid the tracks near Lake Joondalup as fire had created a risk from falling trees and branches.

The emergency warning in Joondalup is the latest in a string of bushfires burning around the state.

Elsewhere, 1000 hectares was scorched near Meelon, where locals were told to evacuate their homes on Monday afternoon.

As the state endured another 40-degree day Perth’s fire danger rating was upgraded from "very high" to "severe" on Monday.

An emergency warning was issued by DFES on Monday afternoon for locals in Meelon, which lies almost 100 kilometres south of Perth.

Tuesday's forecast predicted 32C with mild winds, and a possible shower or storms.

A DFES spokesman told The Huffington Post Australia there were 220 volunteer and carer fire fighters on the scene -- from the Fire and Rescue Service, Bush Fire Service and Department of Parks and Wildlife -- trying to control the blaze, while aerial support is assisting crews on the ground.

Photos and footage emerging on social media show the magnitude of the fire, which DFES has called "unpredictable".

This story has been updated to include the evacuation of Edith Cowan University and further weather details.

Locals in Meelon can find more information about the fire and appropriate responses here.

Perth locals can find more information about keeping their loved ones and homes safe here.

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