Queensland ablaze: Western communities urged to evacuate as 50 fires take hold
Emergency warnings are in place across Queensland and some residents have been urged to leave as bushfires burn on the Western Downs, north-west of Brisbane.
The cost of reinsurance has increased because of concerns over natural hazards Photo: ABC
There are 50 bushfires burning across the state but authorities are most concerned about two blazes, with emergency warnings in place for fires at Myall Park and Montrose.
Conditions eased slightly overnight as humidity increased, but firefighters are braced for another challenging day on Monday.
“Unfortunately, we are expecting another warm day, not as warm and not as challenging as yesterday, but still a very difficult day so the conditions will probably worsen through the day as the heat of the day comes on,” Queensland Fire and Emergency Services state operations co-ordinator James Hague told the ABC.
Residents are being urged to leave immediately as the fast-moving fires put properties under threat.
“This fire may pose a threat to lives. It will soon be too dangerous to drive,” QFES said on Monday.
Queensland sweltered through its hottest day in nearly two years on Sunday, with 40-plus temperatures in various parts of the state.
Several properties have been destroyed in yesterday’s bushfires near Tara, north-west of Brisbane, with residents still unable to return to their homes to inspect the damage.
A “watch and act” warning has also been declared for a fire burning at Myall Park near Miles that is travelling between Myall Park Road and the Leichhardt Highway towards Warramoo.
Containment lines are in place, but crews are working to strengthen those lines as the fire is still uncontained and winds are expected to pick up in the region again this afternoon.
Several properties have been lost around Emu Parade and Terese Road in Montrose.
Queensland Rural Fire Service Inspector Ross Stacey said the fire at Tara had burnt through more than 830 hectares, while the fire at Miles was at about 2,200 hectares in size.
Water bombing aircraft and heavy machinery have been brought in to help contain the fires at Tara and Miles.
“We’ve nearly exhausted all the local crewing,” Stacey said.
“We’ve had a number of strike teams deployed in from south-east Queensland to assist and try and give locals some respite after the many weeks of fires that we’ve had on the Western Downs.”
-Additional reporting ABC
