Two women and two men have died trying to escape in their vehicles from lightning-sparked bushfires near Esperance in Western Australia.
The blaze broke out on Sunday morning near Cascade, 100km northwest of Esperance, and is now burning between Scaddan and Salmon Gums.
Grass Patch is also under threat, with flames up to two metres high.
Department of Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Wayne Gregson said the four people were travelling in two separate cars.
"I understand there was a single male occupant in one vehicle and three other deceased in another vehicle," Mr Gregson told reporters in Perth on Wednesday.
He said WA police were investigating the deaths and will report to the coroner.
Mr Gregson could not confirm media reports that two more people may have died.
"We're working as hard as possible to get these fires under control and return the community to normal," Commissioner Gregson told reporters.
"More bad weather is expected for Saturday, Sunday and Monday with catastrophic fire conditions across the state."
So far, 300,000 hectares have been burned in the North Cascade fire, one of four major bushfires sparked by lightning and burning in WA's south since Sunday.
Authorities have advised residents of Grass Patch, Salmon Gums and surrounding areas in the Shire of Esperance that there is an immediate threat to lives and homes.
Authorities have been unable to confirm if there could be two more deaths, which would take the toll so far to six.
In response to reports Scaddan Primary School has been destroyed in the blaze, Department of Education spokesman Ken Paris said it was understood the schools were intact.
"We believe that the infrastructure at this stage is all OK but, again, we'll await further advice particularly with regards to Grass Patch and Salmon Gums as the day unfolds," he told the ABC.
The state Department of Education had previously advised the school, along with the Grass Patch and Salmon Gums primary schools, would be closed on Wednesday.
Commissioner Gregson encouraged the community to continue to heed emergency and evacuation warnings.
"It is not possible to stay and defence these types of fires," he said.
"Don't leave it too late to put your [bushfire] plan into effect. I urge people to stay in touch with our website and with the radio."
The burning country north of Esperance is predominantly used for broadacre agriculture including grain growing, sheep and cattle.
Commissioner Gregson said more than 300 people have been evacuated from the areas, with 60 people fleeing to Norseman.
Esperance locals have expressed their dismay after evacuating and in some cases losing their properties as deadly bushfires tear through the south of Western Australia.
Guy Green took to social media after losing his entire family farm to the blaze.
"The place I grew up, made me the person I am today and was to be my future is completely gone," Mr Green said on Facebook.
He said the family had lost all of the farm's machinery as well as houses.
"To everyone who has been affected by the fires today, you're definitely on the top of my mind. Be safe," Mr Green said.
Bianca Webb said on Facebook she had to run from her property with seven dogs and a cat as fires closed in.
"Good to know my house is no longer in the red zone (evacuation zone), just hope they control it and I'll be able to sleep tonight," she said.
"Never been so stressed in my life."
She told AAP that a forecast wind change was worrying locals.
Backburning was being done in paddocks in a bid to prevent the fire from spreading to blue gum trees, she added.
WA Farmers chief executive Stephen Brown said the lightning-sparked fires had come at the end of one of the best-ever seasons in the area as farmers were harvesting grain.
"To see your crop going up in smoke after what was going to be a bumper season is heartbreaking," he told AAP.
Mr Brown said he expected most of the loss to crops and livestock would be insured, but the death of locals in small towns would have a significant impact on the communities.
Onshore Cafe Esperance employee Joy Forster said more than 100 people had taken shelter in Esperance.
Meanwhile, another blaze is burning 20km east of Esperance at Merivale.
Bureau of Meteorology acting regional director Grahame Reader said the combination of extremely hot, windy and dry conditions, plus a wind change, made the lightning-sparked fires extremely dangerous.
"When you get these troughs, it does set the scene for particularly dangerous conditions," Mr Reader said.
Esperance Shire president Victoria Brown told the ABC she was feeling shellshocked.
"It's going to be a very tough day ahead," she said.
"We are struggling at this stage to deal with the information that's coming out about the four deaths."
Separately, a watch and act alert is in place for the Thomas River-Poison Creek area of Cape Arid National Park, to the east of Esperance, after a fire burning in the park pushed through onto private property.
People have been evacuated from the park.
DFES says the cause of that fire is unknown.
At the 2011 census Grass Patch had a population of 492, with 160 living in the Salmon Gums area.
Esperance resident Kerry Greg said he broke down in tears when he heard about the fatalities.
"(I) can't believe it. It's just devastating. Absolutely terrible," Mr Greg, who runs the local BP service station, told the Nine Network.
"The town's rallied together really, really well. I think everyone's glued to their tellies. It eerily quiet around."
WA Police said in a statement that five disaster victim identification officers and two arson squad detectives would fly to the area.
"It is believed the fire was not deliberately lit," the statement said.
The four bodies were found in the fire area of Grass Patch, Salmon Gums and surrounding areas in the Shire of Esperance overnight.
Esperance farmer Mic Fels, who has battled the blaze, said the deaths were devastating for the tight-knit community.
"When you know the loss of other people ... young middle-aged people with young children and families involved in the community, and now they're gone. It's pretty upsetting," he told the ABC.
He said conditions were "terrible" as the fire headed towards his family's property 70km south-west of Salmon Gums on Tuesday.
"We got our family out of the house when we realised that our property was in the line of the fire yesterday," Mr Fels said.
"The kids are crying. You're chucking all the things in the car you can think of, like favourite teddy bears and books, our accounts and photo albums.
"It's a pretty scary experience for the family."
"We were spared, but others were not so lucky.
"There's devastation out there - it's unbelievable."
Authorities have advised residents of Grass Patch, Salmon Gums and surrounding areas in the Shire of Esperance that there is an immediate threat to lives and homes.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services in its latest advisory said the bushfire was moving slowly in a north easterly direction, and was out of control and unpredictable with flames up to two metres high.
A bushfire emergency warning also remains for people in the the Stockyard Creek and Mullet Lakes areas, with the fire contained but not controlled.
A watch and act for Thomas River-Poison Creek area of Cape Arid National Park is in place because of a fire which has pushed through the park onto private property.
Primary schools at Scaddan, Grass Patch and Salmon Gums will be closed on Wednesday.
Onshore Cafe Esperance employee Joy Forster said more than 100 people had flocked to Esperance following evacuations, with others fleeing north to Norseman.
"There's been lots of smoke around town," Ms Forster told AAP.
"It doesn't look good from the photos."
Ms Forster said a number of people had slept in the Esperance Civic Centre where an evacuation centre has been set up, while firefighting aircraft had flown over towards the fire ground.
She said the cafe was donating coffee cups for a community breakfast at the centre.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has offered his condolences to the family of four people who died trying to
escape the bushfires near Esperance in Western Australia.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who've lost their loved ones ... this is a very tragic event," he told reporters in Manila on Wednesday.
The prime minister said he had no request for federal assistance from WA Premier Colin Barnett following talks, but the government stood ready to provide support if asked.
Where the Esperance fires are burning
NORTH CASCADE FIRE
* Four dead in Grass Patch/Salmon Gums fire
* 300,000 hectares destroyed
* Residents and homes in danger
* Fire out of control and unpredictable, flames 2m high
* Fire moving slowly in a north easterly direction, wind may change later
* Fires started by lightning at 7am on Sunday
STOCKYARD CREEK/MULLET LAKES
* Emergency warning for Stockyard Creek and Mullet Lakes
* 15000 hectares burnt
* Residents and homes in danger
* Fire contained but not controlled
* Firefighters expecting wind to change to westerly, which may push fire in an easterly direction
* Started by lightning at 3pm on Sunday
THOMAS RIVER-POISON CREEK AREA IN CAPE ARID NATIONAL PARK
* Watch and act advice in place
* Fire is burning in the park and has pushed outside the northern boundary into private property
* Cape Arid National Park and all recreation areas closed
* Fire started on Sunday, cause unknown
* Fire is moving in an eastward direction and is not contained.
SOURCE: www.dfes.wa.gov.au as of 0930 AEDT
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