Residents in parts of Ellenbrook, Aveley and The Vines were urged to prepare to evacuate as shocking vision showed a “massive fireball” of flames and embers raining down on nearby homes.

A bushfire was first reported near Fleetwood Link and Ardmore Parade in Aveley about 6.15pm on Friday.

Later on Friday, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services put a bushfire watch and act in place for people bounded by The Broadway, Maffina Parade, Holdsworth Avenue, Bellazario Promenade, Tapicoa Drive, Wishard Circuit, Argent Street, Torres Parade, Duvall Parkway, Thomby Avenue and Ardmore Parade in the suburbs.

“There is a possible threat to lives and homes as a fire is burning in the area and conditions are changing,” they said.

“If you plan to stay and defend ensure you are mentally and physically prepared, with protective clothing and an independent water supply.

“Make final preparations now and start patrolling your property to put out spot fires.”

Dramatic images posted to Facebook showed a tower of flames near homes and embers raining down on nearby properties.

The bushfire was moving in a north easterly direction. It is understood firefighters were working to control the fire by 7.30pm, but it remained uncontained.

Local resident Blake Colton said the blaze started as a “small scrub fire” before it really started to “pick up” and turned into a “massive fireball”.

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“I used my car and blocked the road off down the end from oncoming traffic, and then within about four minutes of that, it basically just turned into a massive fireball,” he said.

“It must have hit some really dry stuff and just went up.

“I was telling people to hose their houses down and move all their cars out of the way.

“The fireball came across (towards them) and they probably would have lost their cars if they didn’t move it. That’s when I got in my car and and got out of there because it was getting wild, and we moved up the street and I took that last big video of it and then just got out of the area.

“It’s still going at the moment (8pm), but hopefully they can put it out.”

Mr Colton said it was unclear how the fire started and that he tried to use another person’s garden hose to put it out after it was first spotted in bushland.

Aveley Secondary College was initially within the watch and act zone, before the alert was reduced around 9pm. Residents bounded by the watch and act were urged to shut windows and doors to keep out smoke.

A separate bushfire advice warning was issued for residents in surrounding areas, which urged people to stay alert despite their being no threat to lives and homes.

Several roads were closed and commuters were urged to avoid the area.