The fire started in the Sunset and Pioneer area along the Breakaway Creek around 6pm and it took crews of three urban fire and two rural fire units four hours to bring it until control.

At its peak the fire was 1.5km long and 300m wide and at around 7.15pm the fire stretched from near the bridge over the Creek at Abel Smith Pde west towards the back of St Kieran’s school.

Witnesses told the North West Star that the fire had been alight for at least 30 minutes though traffic on the Abel Smith Pde bridge was not affected.

Firies backburned around the area to help control the fire.

Authorities have warned people in the area with asthmatic conditions to keep doors and windows closed in the hours and days after the fire.

The grass fire comes after a spate of suspicious house fires in town in the past few days.

Three homes were set alight in four days and police say they were deliberately lit.