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🇦🇺 Australia /Disasters & Emergencies

Dozens of bushfires burn as Queensland swelters in above-average heat

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • A bushfire at Plainland in Queensland’s Lockyer Valley temporarily closed the Warrego Highway between Brisbane and Toowoomba, while authorities downgraded an evacuation warning to a stay-informed advisory.
  • Queensland had 78 bushfires across the southeast, with hot, dry weather complicating firefighting and the Lockyer Valley blaze expected to burn for several days.
  • Temperatures in parts of southeast Queensland reached five to 10 degrees Celsius above the September average, with inland areas recording 34 to 36C.

A large bushfire in Queensland’s Lockyer Valley forced the temporary closure of the Warrego Highway on Sunday as dozens of fires burned across the state and temperatures climbed well above average.

We're currently watching three fires that have been burning for a little while … one up at Sandy Creek … we've also been monitoring [the] fire that started yesterday at Plainland, another one just a little bit further down at Prenzlau.

· Joel GordonThe Queensland Fire Department deputy chief officer described the fires being monitored in southeast Queensland.

Authorities issued a Prepare to Leave warning at about 3:45pm for the blaze at Plainland, closing the highway in both directions between Brisbane and Toowoomba. The warning later shifted to Stay Informed, and the highway fully reopened at about 5:30pm. Fire officials expect the blaze to continue for several days.

There were 78 bushfires across southeast Queensland. A 24-hour fire ban covering Ipswich and the Lockyer Valley began the previous day and was due to end at midnight. Queensland Fire Department deputy chief officer Joel Gordon said hot, dry conditions had made firefighting difficult. “We're currently watching three fires that have been burning for a little while … one up at Sandy Creek … we've also been monitoring [the] fire that started yesterday at Plainland, another one just a little bit further down at Prenzlau.”

They're the homes that the QPS [Queensland Police Service] went and doorknocked.

· Tanya MilliganThe Lockyer Valley mayor explained which homes were considered at risk.

Lockyer Valley Regional Council Mayor Tanya Milligan said as many as 20 homes could have been threatened. Queensland police went door to door, while some residents left voluntarily and others stayed. Strong northerly winds made the fire unpredictable, and it jumped across the highway. Crews deployed 26 appliances and two water-bombing aircraft.

A lot of people voluntarily evacuated and left; some decided not to.

· Tanya MilliganThe mayor described residents’ decisions as the fire threatened homes.

Parts of Queensland also experienced some of the hottest September weather in seven years, with temperatures five to 10 degrees above average in parts of the southeast. Senior meteorologist Steven Hadley said inland temperatures reached 34 to 36C, the hottest September readings since 2019. “We're getting into spring now so the sun's getting higher in the sky, [and] more intense, so it's able to heat the ground and air up more readily than it was in August.”

We're getting into spring now so the sun's getting higher in the sky, [and] more intense, so it's able to heat the ground and air up more readily than it was in August.

· Steven HadleyThe senior meteorologist explained the unusually high September temperatures.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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