The 12-acre garden of a celebrated scientist has been destroyed in the ongoing Waroona bushfire emergency.

Curtin University professor and botanist Kingsley Dixon and his family were forced to flee on Saturday as the accidental blaze tore through their property, which is well known in the area.

He says the devastating 20-16 Waroona-Yarloop fire taught them to be well prepared.

“The main house we managed to save with that preparation, but we couldn’t save anything else,” Professor Dixon said.

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