Updated
Firefighters face potentially catastrophic, hot and
windy conditions as they battle bushfires across Queensland with at
least five properties destroyed in the last two days.
Key points:
- Three emergency warnings are in place for Binna Burra, Applethorpe and Stanthorpe
- Fires are also burning at Beechmont, Sarabah, Springbrook, Witheren and Numinbah Valley
- The weather bureau says conditions have eased overnight but winds will pick up during the day
More than 50 fires are burning across the state, with residents evacuated from parts Beechmont and Binna Burra in the Gold Coast hinterland and Stanthorpe and Applethorpe in the Granite Belt.
QFES Acting Commissioner Mike Wassing said three properties were lost overnight at Binna Burra.
"We suspect there will be more and we will be doing those assessments this morning," he said.
One home was destroyed at Sarabah on Friday and another near Mareeba was lost on Thursday.
An emergency warning is in place for a bushfire burning at Binna Burra, in mountainous terrain south of Canungra through the Lamington National Park.
Just after 4:00am, the dangerous fire was travelling in an easterly direction towards Binna Burra Road, affecting Binna Burra Road south of Summerville Road, including Akoonah Drive, Gwingana Court, Timbarra Drive, Boongala Road and Bibaringa Close.
The fire is expected to have a significant impact on the community and firefighters may soon be unable to prevent the fire advancing.
Fire and Emergency Services Chief Superintendent Lance Duncan said crews are bracing for another big day.
"We're going to put some helicopters up in the air and do some waterbombing and we're going to do some line mapping of the actual fire area, give us a better indication in relation to where those actual fire fronts are now."
At 5:00am, a watch and act was issued for a new dangerous and unpredictable fire burning close to the Beechmont township.
The fire is likely to affect Beechmont Road, Windabout Road, Flemington Road, Doncaster Road, Doomben Court, Gumtree Court, Ascot Court, Wattle Court, South West Road, Lilac Tree Court, McInnes Court, Acacia Court, Cypress Court, Jacaranda Court, Poplar Court, Willow Court, Maple Court, and Prunus Court.
A refuge has been set up at Tamborine Village Memorial Hall at 2720 Waterford-Tamborine Road.
Two emergency warnings are in place for a large bushfire approaching Stanthorpe and Applethorpe on the Granite Belt. Residents have been evacuated, with those affected by the Applethorpe warning advised to leave immediately while those in Stanthorpe told it is too late to leave.
At 3:00am, the large fire in the area had slowed but was affecting Glenlyon Drive, Amiens Road and the New England Highway. It was travelling in a north-easterly direction towards Passmore Road, Caves Road, Nelson Crescent, McLeod Court and Michelle Road.
Police have marked out a declared zone around Stanthorpe and Applethorpe, urging people not to enter it and avoid any travel unless directed by emergency services.
An evacuation centre has been set up at the Stanthorpe fitness centre in Talc Street.
At 5.20am, a grass fire was travelling in an easterly direction and is burning in an area between Ipswich Rosewood Road and Coopers Road, Willowbank.
No rain forecast for days
Dam water levels are so low in Stanthorpe, that water could run out by December if it does not rain in the drought-ravaged Granite Belt.There is no rain forecast for the next few days, with the BOM reporting very high fire danger over the central, eastern and northern parts of Queensland.
Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) forecaster Jonty Hall said on Friday the fires would remain difficult to control, with dry and windy conditions expected to continue on Saturday.
Meanwhile, south of the Queensland border, at least two houses were lost in Tenterfield in northern NSW and a firefighter suffered facial injuries as an out-of-control fire was fuelled by strong winds.
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