Brothers fight to save lychees

Daly Creek Rd lychee orchard bursts into flames at 2am Sunday morning

Peter Cowie struggled in vain to save his brother's lychee orchard from the fires north-west of Yeppoon

Peter Cowie travelled from Hervey Bay two weeks ago to help his brother lay nets to prevent flying foxes stealing his lychees.

At 2am Sunday, they watched as the Daly Ck orchard inland from Yeppoon was entirely lost to fire.

A spotter plane flies in the pillar of smoke above the road to Byfield Sunday morning

"We spent all yesterday afternoon hosing trees around the house with water from the dams and a diesel generator," Mr Cowie said from the Cordingley St evacuation centre.

He and his sister, who lives on Adelaide Creek Road, drove in while his brother and nephew stayed on to keep up the supply of water to their home's roof.

They had to drive the long way around to Byfield as emergency services closed roads between Cobraball and the highway.

"I have another sibling who lives at Bondoola where it seems the fire started," Mr Cowie said.

"And one of my nephews is the local SES co-ordinator so he's out taking care of other people's properties while the spot fires still burn around his own farm."

Fires travel south along the road to Byfield

In a dramatic turn of events, Mr Cowie's brother drove his tractor through the fire to retrieve a vehicle which was left in the orchard.

Luckily, the pair have been able to remain in mobile phone contact throughout the night, while other residents reported problems with their coverage.

"I've had no sleep but I'm not tired," Mr Cowie said.

"I don't think the enormity of it has hit yet."