Total fire ban in place across Darling Downs, southwest QLD

Fire authorities have issued a total fire ban across all of the Darling Downs and southwest Queensland as emergency services grapple with multiple high-risk fires.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services has imposed a total fire ban for the Darling Downs and southwest Queensland.

The ban will be in place from 12.01am Tuesday until 23.59pm, Friday.

It affects residents in the Toowoomba, Southern Downs, Western Downs, Goondiwindi, Maranoa and Balonne Local Government Areas.

Current fire conditions are perfect for bushfires to ignite and spread quickly.

Under a local fire ban all open fires are prohibited and all Permits to Light Fire which have been issued in the designated areas have been suspended for the duration of the ban.

Power tools may be used during a local fire ban however QFES encourages people to use these with extreme care and ensure adequate equipment is available to extinguish any fire which may start.

This may include having a person available to watch out for any ignitions that occur.

The ban came as emergency services scrambled to contain two fast-moving fires at Cypress Gardens and Tara on Monday.

Evacuation orders were in place for both areas.

For Cypress Gardens they included properties between Kakadu Ave, Gore Highway, Violet Road and Wombinebong Drive at Cypress Gardens.

At Tara, they include Chinchilla Tara Road, Timothy Road, Weitzels Road, Tara Kogan Road, Spinifex Road.

Originally published as Total fire ban in place across Darling Downs, southwest QLD