<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Homes in the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/perth" rel="" target="" title="Perth"><span>Perth</span></a><span> Hills are once again under threat, as residents in Helena Valley and Darlington were issued their second emergency warning in just over a month.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Locals were told to leave or prepare to shelter in their homes as a </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/bushfire" rel="" target="" title="bushfire"><span>bushfire</span></a><span> came dangerously close to properties.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Earlier this evening, the alert was downgraded but Emergency </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/western-australia" rel="" target="" title="WA"><span>WA</span></a><span> warned it's not safe to return as there's still a possible threat to homes and lives overnight.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>LATEST UPDATES: See the latest bushfire warnings and alerts</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://www.emergency.wa.gov.au/" rel="" target="" title="here"><em><strong><span>here</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>.</span></strong></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Thanks to favourable weather conditions, the blaze has remained stationary for much of the afternoon.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But residents are warned the bushfire is not yet controlled or contained and things can change very quickly.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Earlier in the day, thick smoke made visibility difficult as flames ravaged the hilly and inaccessible terrain, adding to the woes for Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) crews.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/perth-hills-bushfire-emergency-warning-over-blaze-threatening-homes/b7e94dc8-14d5-4cff-a38a-5477942862dc" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We've got a bit of machinery happening around the perimetre of the fire trying to create this mineral earth break so it won't progress over the night," Tim McGrade from DFES said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The fire broke out just before 2pm, with residents quickly issued an emergency warning and evacuation centres opened.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Firefighters did not waste any time, tackling the blaze from the ground and the sky while the weather worked in their favour.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We've been pretty lucky with the wind, it's pretty still at the moment so the fire isn't moving," McGrade said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The fire burnt through 27 hectares within three hours, the spread reduced by the lack of wind and a pocket only recently burned.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Relief for locals as properties spared and only power poles impacted.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"That's a testament to the crews again and potentially to the community who's prepared, and that's a wonderful thing to see," McGrade said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A total fire ban is in place for parts of the state.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><strong><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google 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