Esperance bushfire: High school evacuated after fire starts near Connolly Street and Cherry Well Road

More than 40 firefighters are on the scene of a huge blaze in Esperance as a local high school and TAFE were evacuated on Tuesday afternoon.

The bushfire — which prompted an emergency level warning in Esperance just after 2pm — has so far burnt about six hectares.

It started near the intersection of Connolly Street and Cherry Well Road just before 1.20 pm, in bushland just hundreds of metres from Esperance Senior High School and its residential college, which is home to up to 100 rural students.

The high school and South Regional TAFE, which was also in the fire zone,“were evacuated quickly and safely by school staff”, the shire said.

An evacuation centre has been set up at the Esperance Indoor Sports Stadium at the Greater Sports Ground, on Black Street.

The emergency warning was downgraded to general advice about 4.40pm for people bounded by Downes Street, Pink Lake Road, Winston Way, Edwards Street, Munro Lane, Dalyup Drive, Rowse Street, Freeman Street, Thompson Street and Connolly Street in the eastern part of Pink Lake.

Fireys on the scene managed to contain and control the blaze by 4.45pm and Pink Lake Road from Downes Street to Rowse Street, and Connolly Street from Twilight beach Road to Pink Lake Road have been reopened.