‘Leave immediately’: Bushfire closes in on Fraser Island township

Super air tankers from NSW have been flown in to fight a large bushfire that has now reached a township on Fraser Island.

Fire authorities have issued a new warning for residents on the eastern side of Fraser Island.

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Service warns there is a bushfire approaching Yidney Rocks.

People in Yidney Rocks, The Oakes and Happy Valley have been warned that leaving immediately was the safest option, after the large fire was expected to hit the area by 4pm.

Fire crews at Happy Valley were earlier conducting property protection as the fire reached the northern boundary of the township.

Conditions are very dangerous and crews may soon be unable to stop the fire from advancing.

Those who are unprepared for the fire have been advised to leave immediately.

The warning says that for anyone still in the area, leaving immediately was the safest option, saying it would soon be too dangerous to drive.

Erratic winds continue to make firefighting efforts difficult on Fraser Island.

Weather conditions on Fraser Island are expected to change on Tuesday, with a slight chance of some rain and a wind change.

The NSW Rural Fire Service large air tanker prepares to fly to Queensland to fight the Fraser Island bushfire. Picture: NSW RFS

Authorities and residents are fighting to protest homes in Happy Valley. Picture: Queensland Ambulance Service

The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast a 70 per cent chance of rainfall over the island tomorrow, but only up to 6mm is predicted.

“We’ve been in a northerly wind regime on Fraser Island for a number of days,” meteorologist Rosa Hoff said.

“We’ll see those north to north westerly winds over the island ease off and then we will be in more a south easterly wind regime behind the change when it eventually crosses the island (Tuesday) night.

Temperatures on the island are forecast to remain high for the rest of the week, with tops predicted to be at least 30C until Sunday.

Dozens of residents have been forced to flee their homes on the island’s east coast as the catastrophic bushfire continued to rip through dense bushland, bearing down on Happy Valley.

The latest emergency alert, issued at 1.10pm, warns the large fire was now impacting the township.

Conditions have now been deemed “very dangerous” and a threat to all lives directly in its path.

NSW Rural Fire Service air tankers were this morning prepared to take off from RAAF air base in Richmond to assist with QFES efforts in fighting the fires on the island that have been burning for over a month now.

Authorities earlier advised anyone still in the Happy Valley area to leave the area immediately via the beach’s southeastern exit and proceed south to the Eurong township.

About 50 people were in the area immediately affected by the fires, a Queensland Fire and Emergency Service spokeswoman said.

The Fraser Island bushfire is expected to impact Happy Valley at around 7am Monday.

Some of the residents were working alongside firefighters to save the town.

Most residents on the island‘s western side voluntarily left for the mainland last week.

However, a change in wind direction late last week has pushed the blaze closer to the eastern side, away from Lake McKenzie and the ancient Valley of the Giants rainforest towards Happy Valley.

Happy Valley Community Association released a statement on Sunday, saying the that area was well prepared.

Bushfires have been burning on Fraser Island for several weeks. Picture: Sarah Marshall

“The township is ready for the ember attacks predicted to arrive Sunday afternoon, and continue for the next few days,” a statement from the group read.

There are fewer than 200 permanent residents on the island, it’s understood.

Police issued an emergency declaration under the Public Safety Preservation Act for the area late yesterday afternoon. The Happy Valley township is between two large sand ridges, halfway up the east coast of Fraser Island, with about 50 dwellings, including the Fraser Island Retreat, which features accommodation, restaurant, shop and bar.

General short-term accommodation sees the township’s population swell from 20 to more than 400 in peak period.

FRASER ISLAND Queensland

More than 90 firefighters, 30 trucks and almost two dozen aircraft are fighting the blaze, with no reprieve in sight until at least the middle of next week.

The fire danger rating sits at “severe”. More than 82,000ha of the island has been burnt, equating to about 50 per cent.

An inquiry was last week called for by the state government, after serious concerns were raised about whether the blaze could have been better managed or even prevented.