Flood warnings and bushfire evacuations amid more weather chaos
Different parts of Australia are being smashed by hot or wet weather, with a huge fire burning out of control in Victoria while Queensland braces for a tropical low.
Queensland’s coast has been smashed by rain from Coolangatta to Cairns and more could be on the way, while the state’s inland bakes in 40-degree heat.
In Victoria, evacuation warnings were issued on Thursday morning for a massive blaze in Grampians National Park that can be seen from space.
Wet weather persists
The weather bureau said a looming tropical low would ensure more rain for northern Australia.
Showers are set to ease on Thursday in south-east Queensland after a run of bleak weather that caused flooding, power outages and ruined a Test cricket match.
But heavy rainfall is expected to strike the state’s north thanks to a tropical low. However, experts have played down the chance of it developing into the season’s first cyclone.
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More than 2000 properties were without power late on Wednesday as wet weather continued in Queensland’s south-east.
An emergency alert was issued for flooding in the South Burnett, north of Brisbane, as parts of the Burnett Highway and D’Aguilar Highway and local roads were cut off.
Wet weather is set to persist across northern and central parts of the Queensland coast on Thursday as the low looms.
“We see a tropical low pressure starting to develop over the Cape York Peninsula,” the Bureau of Meteorology’s Miriam Bradbury said.
“This system at this stage has only a low chance of becoming a tropical cyclone.
“But nonetheless it will drag in some stronger winds and increase moisture around it … directing it along the coast and enhancing rainfall totals in those areas.”
Heavy showers are forecast for the north starting Thursday night.
“It really will depend on how quickly this system moves away though as to when we’ll see them clearing,” Bradbury said.
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Flood warnings remain for more than a dozen rivers and creeks in south-east, west and central Queensland.
More than 20 dams across the south-east are spilling with the region’s biggest, Wivenhoe, releasing water after reaching 90 per cent capacity.
The last time the dam released water was during 2022 floods, which caused destruction across Queensland’s south-east and northern NSW, resulting in 24 deaths.
The bushfire in Victoria’s Grampians is threatening properties. Image: Weatherzone
Out-of-control fire
A fire burning out of control in Victoria’s Grampians National Park has created a plume of smoke so large it can be seen from space.
Evacuation warnings were issued early on Thursday for Big Cord, Grampians, Mirranatwa, and Jimmy Creek.
The bushfire was continuing to spread and was expected to affect private properties around Mirranatwa on Thursday morning as it travelled in a north-westerly direction.
A relief centre has been opened in Dunkeld.
Weatherzone said persistent south-easterly winds across Victoria on Wednesday fanned the flames.
“These sustained winds have forced the fire to spread towards the north-west, while also carrying smoke close to 100 kilometres ahead of the fire front.
“The smoke plume created by this fire was growing rapidly on Wednesday afternoon, going from a few kilometres long at midday to about 80 kilometres by 5pm and still growing.”
Satellite footage shows the fire starting as a wisp and growing into a thick cloudy blanket.
– with AAP
