Evacuated residents of the Queensland town of Tara, west of Brisbane, have been told it is not safe to return home as firefighters work to control a bushfire.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) issued a "leave immediately" warning about 5pm on Saturday for residents of properties between Mary Road, Bennett School Road, Orchid Road, Tomalou Lane and Robbos Road.
Authorities said a dangerous fire was burning near Mary Road and was expected to impact Robbos Road.
Residents were urged to head to an emergency shelter at Tara Customer Service Centre on Fry Street and to avoid driving on Mary Road, Robbos Road and Winfield Road.
The fire was downgraded to a "watch and act" alert about 6.20pm but residents who had fled were warned they could not return home.
“The fire near Mary Road is still burning,” the QFES alert said.
“It is travelling towards Robbos Road.
"If you left the area, it is not safe to return.”
Emergency warnings were also in place for another blaze further south of Tara at Dunmore, where a large fire is burning in the Kumbarilla State Forest and Dunmore State Forest.
That blaze was travelling towards the Moonie Highway on Saturday afternoon, with residents nearby urged to prepare to leave.
