Brisbane weather: Storms sweep through bushfire zones

Gusty storms have swept through southern Queensland’s fire zones, after an earlier blaze sparked by a traffic accident was brought under control.

GUSTY storms are moving through southeast Queensland, with thousands of lightning strikes but heavier-than-expected rainfall in areas hit by bushfires.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued no warnings this afternoon for thunderstorm activity, but 10mm had fallen in Foxley, near Lamington National Park in the Gold Coast hinterland.

Meteorologist David Crock said some of the heaviest falls were in areas hit hardest by bushfires last week.

“Most of the rain has been through the Scenic Rim and Gold Coast hinterland so far,” Mr Crock said.

“There has probably been a little more rainfall than expected.”

Brisbane was expected to see some rain closer to 6pm, with 3-4mm predicted to fall in patchy areas.

“Some suburbs might get slightly more than that,” Mr Crock said.

There had been approximately 25,000 lightning strikes since the system began moving over the southeast, with roughly 10 per cent of them hitting the ground.

The unsettled conditions weren’t expected to stay, with no storms forecast tomorrow.

“Tomorrow will be sunny, all the storms will clear off tonight,” Mr Crock said.

Brisbane was heading for a sunny top of 28C tomorrow, with a 5 per cent chance of rainfall.

There was some hope for falls later this week, with BOM predicting a 40 to 50 per cent chance of rain every day between Friday and Sunday.

Earlier, a utility crashing into a tree sparked a bushfire emergency west of Brisbane this afternoon.

Four ground-based fire crews and a waterbombing helicopter were involved in fighting the blaze, which broke out after the crew on Halletts Rd, Redback Plains, about 2.30pm.

An emergency declaration was made just before 2.30pm, but was revoked at 4pm.

A Queensland Fire and Emergency Service spokesman said there were around 40 bushfires burning across the state, including several reports of minor, contained blazes caused by lightning strikes this afternoon in the Darling Downs.