Houses misplaced and citizens evacuated as bushfires rage in Queensland

A bushfire emergency has started to unfold in the town Miles, west of Brisbane, where locals have been told to evacuate their homes.

More than a dozen properties have been lost in nearby parts of the south-west.

An emergency warning is in place for residents around Myall Park and nearby Hookswood to leave immediately.

The fire has more than tripled in size and ripped through more than 7400 hectares of land in a few hours today.

Two sheds have been destroyed as well as farming equipment.

Authorities predicted more properties could be impacted tonight.

Crews have entered their second night on the fireground and at another major bushfire about an hour away near Tara.

Twisted sheets of metal and burnt out cars are all that remains of several Montrose properties.

Seventeen structures are confirmed to have been destroyed in the remote area of Dalby.

The toll is expected to climb as crews are still unable to properly assess the 850 hectares of scorched earth.

“The fire is not contained, we still have quite active fire and quite active fire weather,” David Hermann from the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service said.

Resident Janet Yates was powerless to stop the inferno that suddenly appeared at her doorstep.

“Smoke and fire instantly, no warning… our place was on fire,” Yates said.

She was one of more than 40 locals who evacuated to the Tara Bowls Club, with each resident clutching what little possessions they could.

“Got out with our clothes we had on, the dogs and that was it,” Yates said.

“Two cars, motorbikes, everything is gone as far as we know.”

Active fire, downed powerlines and burning trees have all prevented residents from returning home.

But of most concern to the community is the fire’s cause, which officially remains unknown.

Authorities are investigating whether a firebug could be responsible.

“We’ve had quite a large number of fires in the locality over a number of weeks and we’ll look at all aspects of what that means,” Hermann said.

Queensland Police Service Inspector Wayne Rasmussen said police will investigate if the evidence points to arson.

The blaze is among more than 50 that broke out across the state during Sunday’s heatwave.

An already exhausted contingent of urban and rural fire crews are everything they have at the emergency but they’re stretched thin at a time they didn’t expect.

“That’s very unseasonal, and because its very unseasonal it can lead to very erratic fire behaviour,” Hermann said.