Severe warning for south-east as more than 50 fires rage
More than 50 bushfires are raging across Queensland as the state braces for more severe fire conditions until the end of the week.
Hot dry winds pushed in from the west fanned dozens of fires on Wednesday as a total fire ban was ordered for state's south-east and national parks were closed.
The most severe blazes were in the Scenic Rim in the Gold Coast Hinterland where residents were warned to prepare to leave if conditions worsen.
Fire crews and water bomers were fighting the flames as a Leave Now warning for residents of Frazerview, west of Kalbar, was downgraded after 4.10pm to a Prepare To Leave advice.
That bushfire was burning in a northerly direction near Parsons Gate Road and Horan Road.
In the vicinity of another bushfire, at Sarabah in the Gold Coast Hinterland, people were also warned to be prepared to leave.
Fire crews and aircraft are fighting that blaze in difficult terrain between Lamington National Park Road and Upper Coomera Road.
By early Wednesday evening, more than 50 fires were burning including blazes near Mareeba, Yeppoon and Rockhampton.
There is no respite in sight as the Bureau of Meteorology has warned of severe fire conditions heading into Friday.
Scenic Rim mayor Greg Christensen urged residents to heed the warnings.
"It's important people respect that – there is a lot of fuel load in those corridors and conditions toward the end of the week are very concerning from the warning from QFES and the weather bureau," he said.
"Warnings are given for a reason, don't disobey them, no one is exempt. That means no welding, no grinding, no slashing.
"Take a chill pill and wait until the weather settles. It's too late when it's out of control and it can happen very very quickly."
Fire bans are in place across much of the southeast corner from the Lockyer Valley through to Brisbane and including the Gold Coast and Moreton Bay.
Last year catastrophic fire conditions fed unprecedented wildfires that devastated parts of central Queensland.
More than 2600 fires burnt about four million hectares of land last season.
AAP