Yarloop people unhappy with fire clean-up

Yarloop residents believe the discovery of asbestos and heavy metals in the bushfire-ravaged town will slow the clean-up despite authorities saying everything is on track.

State Recovery Controller Ken Michael says the contamination, which includes asbestos fragments and fibres and elevated heavy metal concentrations, requires specialist management and removal.

"We understand community concerns at the rate and cost of the clean-up," Dr Michael said on Thursday.

"The clean-up work is complex and the management and disposal of contaminants will result in additional costs to government.

"We have found asbestos fragments in the burnt ruins of homes, underneath some demolished homes and across large areas of public open space, as well as heavy metals including lead around industrial areas such as the old railway workshops and foundry areas."

Dr Michael said the extent of the contamination was not yet known, but was not expected to affect the clean-up schedule of between six to nine months.

But local resident Ron Sackville, who defended his property during the bushfire, told AAP he was disappointed with the clean-up pace.

"It does seem to be going a little slow," he said.

"It's ruins on top of ruins and there would be stuff that's been there for 100 years.

"Running into problems is understandable."

Mr Sackville said many residents had left Yarloop permanently and he estimated only about 90 people remained, compared to 420 locals who voted in the last election.

"They just can't handle the stress going on this long," he said.

Mr Sackville added that at a meeting with residents about one month ago, authorities said the clean-up would take about 20 weeks, which indicated to him that "they are probably behind" schedule.

Fellow resident Kate Barry told AAP she was initially told the clean-up would take four months, adding the asbestos issue had been flagged earlier.

"I always said 12 months anyway. I don't believe anything they say," she said.

Ms Barry said she was still planning to wait and see what happened in Yarloop, but for now, she had to stay in the Harvey area for her children and just signed a six-month lease on a home.

So far, 69 Yarloop properties have been inspected, 20 have been demolished and 10 demolitions are under way.

The January blaze killed two elderly men and destroyed 181 properties, including 162 houses and the heritage-listed Yarloop Workshops.

Bushfire expert Euan Ferguson reviewed the lightning-sparked blaze and handed his report to the public sector commissioner earlier this month, but the emergency services minister is yet to see it.