Firefighters rush to contain bushfire in Kings Park in central Perth

The Arson Squad is investigating several bushfires burning in Kings Park in central Perth.

Key points:

Police said the cause of the fire is being treated as suspicious, and said early indications were that the fire had multiple ignition points.

Police said they did not have a suspect in custody at the moment. 

Authorities received reports of a fire at 2.42pm, and the blazes were elevated to a Watch and Act alert level — the second most severe — just before 4.30pm.

The alert is in place for people in an area bounded by Lovekin Drive, Poole Ave, Thomas Street and May Drive and there is a possible threat to lives and homes. 

Department of Fire and Emergency Services Incident Controller Clint Kuchel said there was “no current threat” to Perth Children’s Hospital, despite it being right next to the fire ground.

Aerial footage earlier showed smoke blowing towards Perth Children’s Hospital.(ABC News)

He said initial reports indicated there were five separate ignition points in the park.

“The fire’s burnt about 4.5 hectares at this point in time — crews will be here for quite some time and there is a lot of smoke in the area,” he said.

A police officer looking at an aerial image of the fire.( ABC News: Briana Shepherd )

“We have about 45 Kings Park and DFES fire fighting crews, with support from Western Australian police as well.”

Kings Park has been closed to the public.

Police were working with crews to evacuate the western part of Kings Park.(ABC News)

‘It was metres away’

The ABC spoke to a witness, Lincoln, as he was preparing to leave the park in a car with a friend.

Lincoln said the flames were just metres away from him.

Fire crews are expected to be in the area for some time. ( ABC News: Briana Shepherd )

“We’re at a picnic, enjoying some lunch and then the whole bush was on fire — I didn’t even see it happen,” he said.

“It was metres away. I thought I was going to burn.”

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services says the bushfire is moving in a northerly direction and is not contained or controlled. 

Visit Emergency WA, call DFES on 133 337, follow DFES on Twitter or listen to ABC Local Radio to stay up to date.