Gosnells police charged a 44-year-old man on Saturday as a result of their investigations into a fire in Champion Lakes last week.
On April 28 a fire was reported about 10.52am and will be alleged the man lit a campfire in bushland near Tonkin Highway and Champion Drive.
He allegedly failed to monitor the fire, which spread to a nearby tree and continued to spread through bushland.
The man of no fixed address received minor burns and smoke inhalation and was treated at Armadale Hospital.
He was charged with breach of duty person in control of fire and is currently in custody.
About six hectares of land was burnt and more than 60 emergency service personnel spent hours battling the blaze.
Warnings were issues to residents bounded by Southern River Road, Corfield Street, Albany Highway, Westfield Road and Ranford Road in Champions Lakes while Champion Drive was closed from Tonkin Highway to Lake Road.
Kelmscott resident and mother of four Linda D’Lima said the sky was blackened by smoke and it took her longer to pick up her youngest son from Lumen Christi College
“Normally a 15-minute drive to pick him up from school took at least an hour,” she said.
“There was so much traffic, the roads were blocked and you could see the smoke.
“It had just blackened the sky, it was unbelievable.”
Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale president John Erren said the shire assisted in the initial stages of the fire by providing resources from its four brigades in Byford, Oakford, Mundijong and Jarrahdale.
“Once the fire was contained crews were released at about 6.30pm,” he said.
“We would like to thank the fire brigades for their assistance and hard work in containing the fire.”
John Calvin Christian School Kelmscott principal Henk Plug said although the fire was practically next door to them they were in no danger.
“We were not under any threat,” he said.
“However, we had everything ready to go just in case and we had an evacuation plan ready.”
Mr Plug said the wind was in an easterly direction but if it had changed the smoke would have blown across towards the school and then they would have had a real problem to contend with.
“Luckily that did not happen,” he said.
“We continued on as normal and the firemen were great with handling the situation,” he said.
Police did not provide a court date for the man taken into custody over the blaze.
