Wild weather in Australia see thousands evacuated as bush fires rage in Queensland, while Sydney is hit by heavy rain
- 8,000 people were told to leave the town of Gracemere, south of the central coast area of Rockhampton, as a fast-moving blaze threatened homes
Thousands of people were being evacuated from their homes in northeast Australia late on Wednesday, as bush fires raged across Queensland state amid a scorching heatwave.
Some 8,000 people were told to leave the town of Gracemere, south of the central coast area of Rockhampton, as a fast-moving blaze threatened homes.
The Bureau of Meteorology declared a “catastrophic” fire danger – the highest possible risk rating – in some central areas, while firefighters battled to contain more than 130 blazes across the state.
It is going to get a lot worse
“This is a very stressful situation for families. I need you to all be strong. I need you to all listen. Your family and the protection of our community is vital,” said state premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
“We need to reach out to community members who are frail, who are elderly, who have a disability. Please listen to authorities, it is going to get a lot worse.”
The Bureau of Meteorology said scorching temperatures had broken records across Queensland, with the state capital Brisbane reaching 37.9 degrees Celsius.
At least 34 schools were closed, and authorities earlier in the day said the number of homes destroyed was likely in “single digits” but it was too early to confirm.
