As Western Australia's south-west faces a hot and dry summer, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) said it was concerned people were too complacent about the risks.

DFES Deputy Commissioner Steve Fewster said the department expected this summer to be a challenging fire season, with higher than average temperatures and a low moisture content forecast.

"Everybody needs to be worried about being prepared for bushfire and everybody should have a bushfire survival plan," he said.

This week the State Government launched the Are You Ready? campaign, and is strongly encouraging all households in Western Australia to prepare their property and make a plan if a bushfire should break out.

"We have lots of fires in what really are urban areas," Mr Fewster said.

"The rural urban interface extends right into our city and there are very few parts of Perth where people are not at risk from bushfire at some time."

Plumes of smoke billows from a bushfire near houses in Atwell, south of Perth, on February 3, 2014. ( Supplied: Adrian Lindley )

Most people not ready for fire season

Mr Fewster said DFES was particularly concerned by the results of a recent survey of almost 700 people across Perth and the south-west, which indicated most people were not preparing for the coming fire season.

Two thirds responded they had experienced a bushfire near their home, but 74 per cent said they did not have a bushfire plan in place.

Are you and your family at risk? Five questions to ask: Do you live in or near bush?

Do you live in or near bush? Does your local area have a bushfire history?

Does your local area have a bushfire history? Do you have trees and shrubs within 20 metres of your house?

Do you have trees and shrubs within 20 metres of your house? Is your house built on a slope?

Is your house built on a slope? Is your bushfire survival plan more than 12 months old?

Source: areyouready.wa.gov.au

"Of the people who do acknowledge they live at a location at risk, half of them do not have a bushfire plan," Mr Fewster said.

"Two-thirds accept that they have not done enough to prepare.

"The fact that so many people haven't prepared is a major concern."

Mr Fewster said the pockets of bushland that extended into built up urban areas meant nobody could consider themselves fire-proof.

"The rural urban interface extends right into our city and there are very few parts of Perth where people are not at risk from bushfire at some time," he said.

"Everyone should have a bushfire plan.

"During the act of going through the planning process, you may discover that your home isn't at risk but people have lives outside their homes.

"You may be driving through areas that are prone to bushfire regularly. If you are going into areas with bushland then you will be at risk."

Last summer there were more than 3,900 bushfires in Western Australia.

In January 2014, 55 houses were destroyed by bushfire in the Perth hills suburbs of Parkerville and Stoneville. The fire was sparked by a damaged power pole on private property.

Have you prepared for bushfires this summer? Comment on this story on the 720 ABC Perth Facebook page.