Residents west of Brisbane in the Ravensbourne area are being told to evacuate as a large out of control bushfire bears down.
An emergency warning has been issued for a blaze, which is part of the Pechey fire responsible for blackening 3400 hectares in the past five days.
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Local mayor Paul Antonio says the situation has deteriorated drastically despite a large air tanker that dumps 15,000 litre in one go, joining the fight. “This is a very difficult situation ... The wind (at my farm) is strong enough to rock my car,” he told AAP on Sunday.
“It’s looking very bleak.” The fire, which is advancing to the north, east and southeast, extends along Perseverance Dam Road, Mount Jockey Road, Horrex Road, Garvey Road, Purtill Road and McQuillan Road.
Mr Antonio said 200 firefighters and 15 aircraft are battling the blaze, along a 38km front.
Across the state, 85 fires are burning but those of most concern are the ones at Pechey, north of Toowoomba, and Moreton Island off Brisbane along with those in the Scenic Rim at Mt Barney, Clumber and Tarome.
Severe thunderstorms delivered damaging winds and large hailstones north of Brisbane and towards the coast, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Hail the size of cricket balls has been reported in the Glasshouse Mountains, in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, meteorologist Rosa Hoff said. Ms Hoff said no storms were expected in the Darling Downs or Scenic Rim areas where concerning bushfires continued to burn.
However strong winds had been detected, with gusts of 57km/h recorded at Dalby and 50km/h at Stanthorpe.
Earlier, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services’ Acting Inspector John Welke warned there may be times on Sunday afternoon when firefighters wouldn’t be able to get in front of the Ravensbourne fire.
Crews may be pulled back from the front to only protect homes and property for their own safety, he said.
The situation was a long way from over and the fire in that region could continue for another week.
Scenic Rim Mayor Greg Christensen fears only rain will stop fires there but there is little forecast.
“Everyone needs to be on their toes,” he told AAP.
“At the moment these fires will still be running next weekend.” About 50 Scenic Rim farmers have already lost up to 50km of fencing and fodder in the fires, Mr Christensen said.
Many, who are also volunteer firefighters, are exhausted from battling bushfires that first hit the region in September.
ANXIOUS WAIT AS NSW BUSHFIRE RAGES
People living near a huge out-of-control blaze on Sydney’s northwestern outskirts face an anxious wait to see if a sprawling fire can be contained amid a forecast of blisteringly hot, dry conditions.
The Gospers Mountain fire at Wollemi National Park which has been burning for weeks, has already consumed an area of more than 119,000 hectares, destroyed at least six homes, and is still spreading.
Residents in surrounding areas have been clearing up outside their homes while firefighters backburn in a bid to save properties threatened by the blaze. Hawkesbury Mayor Barry Calvert said people have done all they can, and now face an anxious “sit and wait” situation.
“People are waiting for this week to be over I think,” he told AAP. “We have two or three days this week that are going to be 38C-40C and strong winds.
“I think they’ve done everything they can do and it’s just now a matter of holding (the fire) back if they can. People are just walking around hoping for the best. There’s not a lot more that can be done.” The Rural Fire Service has said the fire, which was at “watch and act” alert on Sunday afternoon, is unlikely to be under control before weather conditions deteriorate early next week.
People have been advised to have their fire plan ready and to be prepared to evacuate, the mayor said.
There is “a lot of anxiety” because of how long the fire has been burning and fears it could spread into more built-up areas, he added.
There are around a dozen homes on the fringes of the park but there are concerns the blaze could travel as far as St Albans which has a population of around 200 people.
“(Firefighters) couldn’t control it because it’s in deep bush and now they’re just trying to manage it as best they can so there’s a lot of anxiety because if it gets out again then it’s very hard to stop it,” said Mr Calvert. While the coming days will be tough, local people are “very proud” of the work done by Rural Fire Service volunteers, some of whom are working 20-hour days to try and protect the area, he added.
BUSHFIRE CREWS BACKBURN TO PROTECT HOMES
Firefighters in NSW have been busy backburning in a bid to protect properties as the danger rating once again hits severe for parts of the state. More than 50 fires continued to burn on Sunday, with almost 30 of those uncontained, the Rural Fire Service said.
Fire danger ratings are severe in the far north coast, New England, the northern slopes and northwestern regions, and very high in the Greater Sydney, Greater Hunter, Central Ranges and North Coast regions.
RFS Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers said crews at the sprawling Gospers Mountain blaze on Sydney’s northwestern outskirts had been burning around homes to protect them from the continuing blaze.
“It’s not directly affecting properties right now but we’ve been doing a lot of burning around homes,” he told ABC News.
“We are concerned about the potential for that fire when worsening weather occurs on Tuesday.” The fire remained at a watch and act level on Sunday morning, alongside the Woodenbong fire near the Queensland border and the Bora Ridge fire southeast of Casino.
Mr Rogers reiterated the warning that there is no end in sight for bushfires which have hit hard and early this season.
“I think it’s fair to stay that there’s going to be a long time spent dealing with these fires and it’s not going to be over quickly unless we of course get a lot of rain,” he said.
Tuesday is expected to see temperatures nearing 40C in the Hunter region, with the mid north coast getting into the high 30s and the northern tablelands experiencing the low 30s - all amid continued dry conditions. Exhausted firefighters, especially those in the state’s north who have been fighting fires for weeks, will be bolstered by crews from the south and west of NSW, as well as interstate crews and help from New Zealand, Mr Rogers said. During a visit to bushfire-hit areas around Kempsey and Port Macquarie on Sunday NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott announced further funding to help those affected. Some $220,000 has been pledged to volunteer organisation BlazeAid and local government partners to help with the clean-up and to remove and replace fences destroyed in the fires.
“As our firefighters are on the frontline fighting the blazes, we as a government are acutely aware that there are many residents who have been displaced because of the bushfires and who need immediate financial and practical support,” Mr Elliott said.
Total fire bans are in place for five NSW regions on Sunday - the Greater Hunter, far north coast, New England, northern slopes and north western. Four people have died in NSW bushfires this month and the RFS has said 303 homes had been confirmed razed since November 8.
More than 100 homes have been damaged while 785 sheds and other outbuildings have been damaged or destroyed.
Nearly 40 schools and other facilities have been impacted.
CRICKET BALL SIZE HAIL FALLS IN QUEENSLAND
Hail the size of a cricket ball has been reported north of Brisbane as dangerous thunderstorms move across southeast Queensland.
The storms are unlikely to bring much rain or relief for bushfire -ravaged parts of the state, says Bureau of Meteorologist forecaster Rosa Hoff. A severe warning for giant hailstones and destructive winds has been issued from Gympie to south of Brisbane.
The most dangerous storm is on the Sunshine Coast where the cricket ball size hail was observed.
Ms Hoff said no storms were expected in the Darling Downs area or the Scenic Rim where concerning bushfires were continuing to burn.
But strong winds had been detected with gusts of 57km/h recorded at Dalby and 50km/h at Stanthorpe.
There would be no widespread significant rainfall in areas affected by the thunderstorm but up to 35mm could fall on the Sunshine Coast, Most areas would record just five to 15mm, Ms Hoff told AAP.
BUSHFIRE THREAT IN WA’S SOUTH CONTROLLED
A bushfire that threatened parts of Cascade in southern Western Australia’s Shire of Esperance is now under control.
A “watch and act” alert issued for the area on Sunday afternoon has been downgraded.
Emergency services report conditions have eased and there is no threat to lives or homes.
Although no immediate danger exists, Emergency WA has not yet fully contained the fire and is asking residents to be aware and up to date in case the situation changes.
The blaze started near the intersection of River Road and Cascade Road in Cascade and was advancing quickly north-northeast.
There have been 600 hectares burnt so far and the cause of the fire is unknown.
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