2014 Perth Hills bushfire
The 2014 Perth Hills bushfire, sometimes referred to as the Parkerville fire, was a bushfire that burned from 12 January to 1 February and affected the Mundaring municipality of the Perth Hills in the Australian state of Western Australia. During a major run of the fire on the afternoon and evening of 12 January, fifty-seven houses and numerous non-residential buildings were completely destroyed, and a further six houses were damaged in the suburbs of Mount Helena, Stoneville, and Parkerville. Approximately of uncleared land and pasture—the majority on private property—were burned during the 21-day duration of the fire. None of the residential subdivisions impacted had been formally declared as being within a bushfire prone area.
The cause of the fire was recorded as accidental by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services. The source of ignition was determined by both the DFES and Energy Safety to have been a fallen power pole, which ignited extremely dry vegetation at approximately 11:00 AWST during a period of easterly winds gusting up to moderate gale force and temperatures in excess of. A considerable quantity of property in Stoneville was destroyed following a wind change that brought fresh breezes from the south west to the fire ground, just prior to 15:00 AWST.