Perth bushfire threatens homes, lives

Homes in Perth's semi-rural northeast remain under threat as more than 200 firefighters battle a bushfire raging through the difficult terrain.

They've made good progress tackling the blaze near Shady Hills in Bullsbrook, and with the exception of the northern flank, it's now burning within containment lines.

"They are working in hilly, rocky and difficult to access country and it may take some time to complete the containment lines," the Department of Fire and Emergency Services said at 5pm (local time).

Some 1460 hectares of bushland has been burnt since the fire began around midday on Thursday.

A bushfire emergency warning remains for people in Shady Hills View, Gibbard Place, Clarkson Road, Taylor Road, Foaling Ridge and Auger Place.

West of Walyunga National Park - where the blaze had been threatening homes - the alert level has been downgraded to a watch and act.

That warning applies to Railway Parade including Great Northern Highway between Stock Road and Walyunga Road.

Some fencing has been destroyed and so far there have been no other reports of significant losses or damage from the fire.

Bullsbrook's Pickett Park Hall, where 12 evacuees stayed overnight, remains the relocation point.

While the official cause of the bushfire remains unknown, sparks from a Kalgoorlie-bound freight train were suspected to have sparked a string of fires that became one large blaze.