Yarloop residents turn backs on town

Some Yarloop residents have ruled out a future return to their fire-ravaged town in Western Australia's southwest.

As the evacuated community begin to come to terms with the devastating bushfire, some say it will be too hard to begin life again in the small town.

The Department for Child Protection and Family Support will on Monday start to prepare residents to see their houses - many of which are no longer standing.

They will then be helped to find short and long-term solutions.

Dave Phillips, whose home is one of only a handful that survived, says he is now considering a move to Harvey.

"There's no rebuilding. It'll be blown over by a feather," he told 6PR radio.

"The whole town has gone. There's nothing left in the streets. Who's going to stay amongst all that?"

Carmel Hill, 73, whose home was razed, hopes to return but accepts it may be better for her to settle in neighbouring towns closer to family.

"A lot of people from Yarloop are elderly so it's very hard to go back and start again," she told AAP.

"It's very, very hard. You lose your home and your town."

The town's hotel and most of the primary school were wiped out in the fire, along with the historic workshops.

Ms Hill, the vice-president of the 110-year-old workshops' volunteer association, said the town would not be the same without them.

"We haven't been able to see what we can save, but I don't think there'll be anything," she said.

"We would want it to be rebuilt again because it was beautiful but I don't know if it's possible or if there will be the money."

Premier Colin Barnett has said the state government will help rebuild public facilities at Yarloop, but is unsure how many of the 545 people will return.