A fire burning out of control near Northcliffe, 350 kilometres south of Perth, is threatening farms on the outskirts of the town.
The blaze was started by lightning 10 days ago but escaped containment lines when it flared up yesterday afternoon.
The fire has burnt 28,000 hectares of bushland and forest.
Incident controller Drew Griffiths says strong south-easterly winds expected this afternoon could push the fire north towards properties.
"There would only be probably less than an hour before the fire reached the first properties so that's not enough time for people to get out, they need to get out now," he said.
Northcliffe's Community Resource Centre's Graham Evans has sent his staff home.
"At least one of my staff members is packing up and I'm packing up myself, packing up the household and there's an emergency evacuation centre set up in Pemberton sports club," he said.
"The Northcliffe vicinity is now on a watch and act notice so people are meant to be making decisions to basically adhere to their bushfire plans, stay or go."
Dairy farmer Dennis Smeathers says police arrived at his property last night about midnight local time and advised him to leave.
"My wife went but we stayed and got up early to milk the cows," he said.
The Northcliffe District High School has been closed for the day.
The Department of Environment and Conservation's Peter Keppel says the fire is eight kilometres from Northcliffe which is surrounded by marri, karri and jarrah forest.
A total of 138 firefighters are battling the blaze as well as 25 fire trucks and four water bombers.
A meeting to update residents on the situation is about to get underway.
An emergency warning remains in place for west of the Gardner River between Double Bridge Road and Summertime Track.
A watch and act has been issued for communities in the vicinity of Northcliffe, properties south of Boorara and Richardson roads and the settlement of Windy Harbour.
Mr Keppel says crews are fighting to keep the blaze contained.
"We'll be working very hard today to consolidate the work we've done overnight that will include continuing to burn back along those edges," he said.
"And, extensive use of water bombing including helicopter and water bombing aircraft, bulldozers and fire trucks."
Authorities warn the blaze is unpredictable and has the potential to travel at more than a kilometre per hour.
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