An inquiry headed by former Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty will begin immediately to investigate the cause of the Margaret River bushfire and the prescribed burn that got out of control.
The blaze has also claimed its first scalp with Emergency Services Minister Rob Johnson dumped from the portfolio and replaced by Transport Minister Troy Buswell.
Mr Johnson will keep his police and road safety portfolios.
However, it looks like Environment Minister Bill Marmion will keep his job, despite receiving criticism from the opposition about his handling of the bushfire.
The November 23-24 blaze burnt more than 3400 hectares of land and destroyed 32 houses, nine chalets and four sheds.
Premier Colin Barnett said the inquiry would focus on the causes of the bushfire, which was the result of a Department of Environment and Conservation prescribed burn in the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park on September 6, 2011.
"This inquiry is not about the validity of prescribed burns, it is all about the decision-making process," he said.
Mr Barnett said the conduct of the fire suppression effort would be reviewed through normal DEC and Fire and Emergency Services Authority processes.
Mr Keelty, who also conducted an inquiry into the Perth hills bushfire which destroyed 72 homes in February, will head the special inquiry that will have similar powers to a Royal Commission.
Mr Barnett said Mr Keelty had demonstrated he had the confidence of the wider community and had shown himself able to liaise effectively with communities which have experienced loss of property.
All government agencies and officers of agencies will be required to cooperate with the inquiry.
A community meeting will be held in Margaret River on Sunday so the local people can hear from, and speak to, Mr Keelty about the inquiry.
Mr Keelty will report to the Public Sector Commissioner by late January 2012.
However, Opposition leader Eric Ripper said there was no need for an inquiry into the Margaret River bushfires when two-thirds of Mr Keelty's recommendations from his other report were still to be implemented.
Mr Ripper also called for Mr Marmion to be removed, telling reporters that Mr Barnett had only done "half the job" by removing Mr Johnson.
"It's a bad decision to remove Rob Johnson from fire management but to keep Bill Marmion there," Mr Ripper said.
"How can the public have confidence with Bill Marmion still the minister for environment?"
"Mr Marmion has to go as well."
