AT LEAST four houses were destroyed and hundreds of people forced to flee when a fire tore through bushland 100 kilometres south of Perth.

Lake Clifton residents will be prevented from returning to their homes until today.

Deliberately lit ... the fires south of Perth.

The fire, which was deliberately lit, began just before midday on Monday and raced through a plantation area, threatening properties around Lake Clifton before spreading to neighbouring Herron.

About 150 firefighters have been fighting the fire, which the Fire and Emergency Services Authority incident controller, John Tillman, described as ''contained but not secure''.