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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/dec/02/queensland-bushfires-heatwave-dry-lightning-and-cyclone-threaten-state
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| Queensland bushfires: gusty winds and searing heat fan flames | Queensland bushfires: gusty winds and searing heat fan flames |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Queensland’s bushfire emergency has flared up as strong winds and high temperatures test exhausted firefighters battling more than 110 blazes across the state. | |
| More than 160 firefighting crews were battling the blazes, with bushfires at Deepwater and Eungella, in central Queensland, Tinnanbar, on the Fraser Coast, Karara, near Warwick in the state’s south, and North Stradbroke Island of most concern. | |
| At Winfield, south of Baffle Creek, the massive Deepwater fire, which had been raging for more than a week, was again threatening homes and residents were told to prepare to leave. | |
| Regional incident controller Mark Stuart said conditions in central Queensland had deteriorated, with crews battling 52 wildfires amid wind gusts of up to 50 kilometres per hour. | |
| Queensland flying fox species decimated by record heatwave | Queensland flying fox species decimated by record heatwave |
| “This time of day and for the next hour or two during the hottest part of the day, when the winds do tend to whip up, is often the most trying time for firefighters on the ground ... to ensure we don’t have spot overs or creation of new fires,” he told AAP on Sunday. | |
| “We have so many significant fires at the moment that all have their own difficulties whether that’s the terrain or the fuel loading.” | |
| Residents in the tiny town of Karara, 50km west of Warwick, in the state’s southeast, were told to prepare to leave, with a bushfire likely to impact the area by 5pm. | |
| East of Brisbane, a bushfire on North Stradbroke Island’s east coast, near Main Beach, was not threatening homes, however changing wind conditions late on Sunday were expected to push smoke and embers towards the mainland. | |
| Earlier, macadamia farm manager Robert Griffith, who had been battling fires in the Deepwater area for eight days, said helicopters continued to water-bomb bushland in the Deepwater area and only rain would fully douse the massive blaze. | |
| “Places are still smouldering and still burning ... There’s still flames around here and there, and they’re still, every seven to eight minutes, filling up out of our dam and taking off,” he said. | |
| “People shouldn’t sit back and have a beer ... and say ‘it’s all over with’ because this is when shit will happen.” | “People shouldn’t sit back and have a beer ... and say ‘it’s all over with’ because this is when shit will happen.” |
| Meanwhile, the acting prime minister, Michael McCormack, who was touring “devastated” areas in central Queensland, said the conditions remained concerning. | Meanwhile, the acting prime minister, Michael McCormack, who was touring “devastated” areas in central Queensland, said the conditions remained concerning. |
| “We’re still in the response phase of this firefight, there are still many fires burning out of control,” he told reporters on Sunday. “It’s quite hot out there at the moment, the winds have the potential to whip up at any stage, so we need to watch and wait and see.” | “We’re still in the response phase of this firefight, there are still many fires burning out of control,” he told reporters on Sunday. “It’s quite hot out there at the moment, the winds have the potential to whip up at any stage, so we need to watch and wait and see.” |
| McCormack paid tribute to the firefighters and volunteers who had battling the blazes, which have destroyed more than 527,000 hectares of land. | McCormack paid tribute to the firefighters and volunteers who had battling the blazes, which have destroyed more than 527,000 hectares of land. |
| “There are people out there, they are exhausted, they are fighting the good fight for their community, for their districts and their lives, and they’ll continue to do that,” he said. “Let’s hope the weather turns in their favour this week.” | “There are people out there, they are exhausted, they are fighting the good fight for their community, for their districts and their lives, and they’ll continue to do that,” he said. “Let’s hope the weather turns in their favour this week.” |
| The Bureau of Meteorology said the windy conditions combined with the hot and dry conditions had pushed the fire rating back to severe. | The Bureau of Meteorology said the windy conditions combined with the hot and dry conditions had pushed the fire rating back to severe. |
| “There is still some days to go until we some relief ... there is no significant rain on the horizon especially in central Queensland before Tuesday,” meteorologist Bruce Gunn said. | “There is still some days to go until we some relief ... there is no significant rain on the horizon especially in central Queensland before Tuesday,” meteorologist Bruce Gunn said. |
| Forecast thunderstorms for Sunday would not produce rain but were expected to start more fires due to “dry lightning”, Gunn said. | Forecast thunderstorms for Sunday would not produce rain but were expected to start more fires due to “dry lightning”, Gunn said. |
| It came as a tropical low, which was likely to form into a cyclone, headed south-west towards Cairns. | It came as a tropical low, which was likely to form into a cyclone, headed south-west towards Cairns. |
| The bushfire crisis saw its first loss of life on Friday night, with the death of a 21-year-old man at Rolleston, south of Emerald. He was using a chainsaw to cut down a tree for a firebreak when the tree fell on him. | The bushfire crisis saw its first loss of life on Friday night, with the death of a 21-year-old man at Rolleston, south of Emerald. He was using a chainsaw to cut down a tree for a firebreak when the tree fell on him. |
| On Sunday, the prime minister, Scott Morrison, urged people in Queensland to look out for each other. | On Sunday, the prime minister, Scott Morrison, urged people in Queensland to look out for each other. |
| Morrison had been monitoring the fires from the G20 meeting in Argentina ahead of his return to Australia on Monday morning. | Morrison had been monitoring the fires from the G20 meeting in Argentina ahead of his return to Australia on Monday morning. |
| Australia's summer outlook: soaring temperatures and bushfire risk | Australia's summer outlook: soaring temperatures and bushfire risk |
| “Despite the very sad loss of one young man, a 21-year-old man who died while clearing a fire break west of Rockhampton, so far I think the efforts have been extraordinary,” Morrison told reporters in Buenos Aires on Saturday local time. | “Despite the very sad loss of one young man, a 21-year-old man who died while clearing a fire break west of Rockhampton, so far I think the efforts have been extraordinary,” Morrison told reporters in Buenos Aires on Saturday local time. |
| “People’s lives have been very significantly disrupted by the evacuations and other actions that have had to be taken. | “People’s lives have been very significantly disrupted by the evacuations and other actions that have had to be taken. |
| “We’d ask for your patience, not just while the fires are burning, but for the many, many, many days ahead, as there will be the clean-up work and the restoration that will have to follow. | “We’d ask for your patience, not just while the fires are burning, but for the many, many, many days ahead, as there will be the clean-up work and the restoration that will have to follow. |
| “We’re still expecting many more days of very difficult conditions in all of these areas,” Morrison said. | “We’re still expecting many more days of very difficult conditions in all of these areas,” Morrison said. |
| “Just remember to look out for each other, particularly in these heatwave conditions that may not result in fire directly. There is a need to ensure we’re keeping an eye on each other.” | “Just remember to look out for each other, particularly in these heatwave conditions that may not result in fire directly. There is a need to ensure we’re keeping an eye on each other.” |
| Bushfires | Bushfires |
| Queensland | Queensland |
| Wildfires | Wildfires |
| Natural disasters and extreme weather | Natural disasters and extreme weather |
| Australia weather | Australia weather |
| Scott Morrison | Scott Morrison |
| news | news |
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