A large bushfire that raced toward the town of Boddington over Christmas Day has been downgraded to a lower alert level after firefighters held back the flames, but officials warned that strong winds expected later in the day could reinvigorate the fire.

The blaze grew quickly on 25 December 2025, driven by a heatwave, dry vegetation and gusty winds, with temperatures in the high 30s to low 40s Celsius across the southwest of the state, Bureau of Meteorology officials told ABC News. These conditions caused fire behaviour to escalate, leading to emergency-level warnings for Boddington and surrounding communities as flames drew near.

Fire crews worked through Christmas Day and into Boxing Day to keep the fire at bay. At its worst, the fire was uncontrolled and uncontained and had burnt through about 3,700 hectares of bushland, according to ABC News. Flames came within 2 kilometres of the town site on Thursday night, raising fears for homes and local infrastructure.

As conditions eased due to increased humidity and consolidated containment lines on Friday morning, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) downgraded the situation to a “Watch and Act” warning. The shift means that residents should remain alert and ready to respond should conditions worsen, but there is no longer an immediate emergency alert for evacuation.

Despite the downgrade, DFES Assistant Commissioner Stuart Wade told ABC News that firefighters continued to face erratic fire behaviour, with dense fuel loads and gusty wind patterns posing a risk of spot fires as embers are carried ahead of the main blaze. The department said about 40 fire appliances and 13 aircraft remained on the ground preparing for further changes in weather.

Many residents felt the impact of the fire over Christmas. About 50 people, including families with pets and livestock, spent Christmas night at an evacuation centre at the sports pavilion in the nearby town of Williams, Shire officials told ABC News. Some left after seeing the glow of the fire in the hills and responding to official warnings.

The fire was reported to have burned through the forest near a gold mine site southeast of Boddington, and crews worked to protect both community property and industrial assets. Firefighters made repeated patrols overnight on Christmas Day to reinforce containment efforts and defend structures threatened by the fast-moving blaze.

Authorities stressed there had been no confirmed reports of property loss as of the latest update, but that the fire remained active and unpredictable. Residents and travellers in areas including Bannister, Wuraming and surrounding rural districts were urged to remain informed and follow official guidance should fire behaviour change.