Fierce fires are expected to continue through the weekend, with emergency services across Queensland on high alert with more than 40,000 hectares burnt since the start of the month.
While the risk level is expected to drop back to very high on Thursday as winds eases, on Friday and going into the weekend the Darling Downs, Granite Belt, Wide Bay and Burnett will again be on high alert as the fire danger reaches severe levels once more.
A Queensland Fire and Emergency Service spokeswoman said since the start of the bushfire season in September, there had been 2000 bushfires burning more than 130,000 hectares of land, with 32 houses lost.
As of Wednesday morning, there were 62 fires across the state with more than 140 firefighting vehicles out to fight the November blazes.
Since the start of November, about 40,000 hectares of land have been lost with 13 homes lost at Cobraball and one at Cooroibah, near Noosa.
"More than 3100 firefighters have been on the frontlines since Friday, battling the bushfires," the spokeswoman said.
Fire conditions on Wednesday morning have seen the Cunningham Highway near Warwick close, with the area around luxury resort Spicers Peak Lodge evacuated before 4am. Only one caretaker was on site when police doorknocked the location.
Additional firefighters have been deployed from Victoria, the Northern Territory, Tasmania and New Zealand, helping to fight fires in areas around Boonah, the Darling Downs, the Sunshine Coast and Cobraball in central Queensland.
Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Vince Rowlands said Wednesday's windy conditions were expected to ease on Thursday bringing a slight improvement to conditions, however it would remain hot and dry.
"Across the Darling Downs and Granite Belt, we will see a return to severe fire dangers on Friday and continuing into Saturday," he said.
"We do see the winds from the west just picking up a bit during those days."
Meanwhile, associated weather conditions have seen Western Queensland blanketed by dust, with large amounts of dust showing up on satellite imagery on Wednesday morning.
While the dust is expected to ease on Thursday, Mr Rowlands said it may kick up again on Friday.
Victoria Nugent
National sheep and wool writer for ACM's agricultural publications. Former livestock editor for Queensland Country Life. Send your story tips to vnugent@austcommunitymedia.com.au
National sheep and wool writer for ACM's agricultural publications. Former livestock editor for Queensland Country Life. Send your story tips to vnugent@austcommunitymedia.com.au
