Announcing the sale of the site to the State Government last week, Emergency Services Minister Joe Francis said the station was being built in response to the growth of inner-city suburbs and the Perth CBD.
"In recent years, demands on the existing Perth fire station have increased significantly and more residential and commercial construction in the city means this trend will continue." Mr Francis said.
Projects including the Perth City Link, Elizabeth Quay and more high-rise CBD buildings made greater demands on firefighters and the West Perth station would reduce pressure on their colleagues at their station in East Perth.
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READ NOWOn May 16, 2012, about 45 firefighters fought the warehouse fire at an abandoned warehouse at the site of the new fire station, during which a plume of toxic black smoke and fear of asbestos roof fibres caused an evacuation.
Under the Health Act, the City of Vincent was responsible for the site's clean-up, and a spokeswoman said a health notice sent to the site's former owner instructed them to demolish the warehouse and get a licensed asbestos contractor to remove and document contamination.
She said the work was completed and the notice revoked on June 14, 2012.
Department of Fire and Emergency Services asset director Mike Waters said every precaution had been taken to ensure the site satisfied all health and safety measures for department staff, including independent consultants who conducted "extensive environmental testing that has given us absolute peace of mind".
There will be three fire trucks and 12 firefighters on duty at each shift at the West Perth station, which is expected to be completed in 2017.