Firefighters contain deadly WA blaze

A deadly bushfire in Western Australia's south has been contained and its alert level downgraded, although it's not yet under control.

The lightning-sparked blaze at Grass Patch, Salmon Gums and surrounding areas north of Esperance was an emergency earlier this week, when it killed four people who were trying to escape in their vehicles.

The victims were later named as local farmer Kym "Freddie" Curnow, 45, Norwegian student Anna Winther, 29, British man Tom Butcher, 31, and German woman Julia Kohrs-Lichte, 19.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services said at 1020 WST that the fire was stationary and contained, but not under control.