Bushfires were mostly active between September 2011 to March 2012 and caused most damage in the state of Western Australia, particularly in the South West.

The state had been prepared and had expected an increased risk of bushfire following heavy spring rains as a result of a La Nina weather pattern.

[5] A bushfire at Katoomba and the Blue Mountains on 24 October caused some houses and a school to be evacuated, over 100 fire-fighters and three aircraft responding to contain the blaze.

The premier, Colin Barnett, declared Margaret River a Natural Disaster Zone and promised a full inquiry as to how the fire started.

[9] The fire was controlled by 26 November after burning through 3,400 hectares (8,400 acres) of land and leaving a total of 39 homes destroyed and another 14 damaged, but there were no deaths.

[10] Other bushfires were recorded at the same time about 30 kilometres (19 mi) south west of Nannup, another near Three Springs, a third near Peron and a fourth north of Denmark.

[13] A large fire in the Pilbara region had burned out over 1,500 square kilometres (579 sq mi) of bushland and rangeland by 26 December.

[17] A fire that started in late December in the Yalgoo Shire was mostly contained by 5 January after burning out an area of 18,500 hectares (46,000 acres) of bushland.

It spread over a distance of 45 kilometres (28 mi), leading to the temporary closure of the North West Coastal Highway and other roads around Kennedy Range National Park.