The children of rural firefighters are among ten people airlifted from the path of a Queensland bushfire while their parents stayed behind to battle raging inferno.
The RACQ CQ helicopter was sent to Eungella, about 70 kilometres inland from MacKay, just after 5pm on Friday to airlift the women and children to the Finch Hatton showgrounds.
They were taken from a flat spot Bees Creek Road in the heart of the Eungella National Park, which has been ringed by fire for days, after conditions suddenly changed.
RACQ, in a statement, said its crew witnessed "an incredible act of selflessness" when a man and woman, believed to be local residents and rural firefighters, bundled their families into the aircraft but stayed behind to battle the blaze.
One of the firefighters' children was an infant.
"A lot of people elected to stay and fight," Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson told AAP.
Then conditions changed quickly.
"It's turned into quite a grim situation, there is a fear that we will lose buildings in the area," the mayor said.
"The fire is roaring up to the hill at Eungella which has been a big shock.
"It's turned quite grim, quite fast, and it just shows how this fire that's been escalating for the last couple of days has just turned nasty on us."
Cr Williamson said that was why the women and children who had stayed behind to help in firefighting efforts needed to be evacuated.
"We have bought them safely out, and no one has been hurt, so we can be thankful for that."
The huge fire is travelling in a westerly direction towards Broken River, QFES said at 6pm AEST.
It is expected to impact Broken River, Finch Hatton, Eungella, Dalrymple Heights and Crediton.
"Conditions are now very dangerous and firefighters are unable to prevent the fire advancing. The fire poses a threat to all lives directly in its path," the statement said.
Residents at Dalrymple Heights, Broken River, Finch Hatton, Eungella and Crediton, have been warned to stay put and shelter.
Anyone who left Dalrymple Heights and headed to Eungella should turn back and seek shelter.
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