Flood warnings and bushfire evacuations amid more weather chaos
Different parts of Australia are being smashed by hot or wet weather, with a huge fire burning out of control in Victoria while Queensland braces for a tropical low.
Queenslandâs coast has been smashed by rain from Coolangatta to Cairns and more could be on the way, while the stateâs inland bakes in 40-degree heat.
In Victoria, evacuation warnings were issued on Thursday morning for a massive blaze in Grampians National Park that can be seen from space.
Wet weather persists
The weather bureau said a looming tropical low would ensure more rain for northern Australia.
Showers are set to ease on Thursday in south-east Queensland after a run of bleak weather that caused flooding, power outages and ruined a Test cricket match.
But heavy rainfall is expected to strike the stateâs north thanks to a tropical low. However, experts have played down the chance of it developing into the seasonâs first cyclone.
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More than 2000 properties were without power late on Wednesday as wet weather continued in Queenslandâs south-east.
An emergency alert was issued for flooding in the South Burnett, north of Brisbane, as parts of the Burnett Highway and DâAguilar Highway and local roads were cut off.
Wet weather is set to persist across northern and central parts of the Queensland coast on Thursday as the low looms.
âWe see a tropical low pressure starting to develop over the Cape York Peninsula,â the Bureau of Meteorologyâs Miriam Bradbury said.
âThis system at this stage has only a low chance of becoming a tropical cyclone.
âBut nonetheless it will drag in some stronger winds and increase moisture around it ⌠directing it along the coast and enhancing rainfall totals in those areas.â
Heavy showers are forecast for the north starting Thursday night.
âIt really will depend on how quickly this system moves away though as to when weâll see them clearing,â Bradbury said.
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Flood warnings remain for more than a dozen rivers and creeks in south-east, west and central Queensland.
More than 20 dams across the south-east are spilling with the regionâs biggest, Wivenhoe, releasing water after reaching 90 per cent capacity.
The last time the dam released water was during 2022 floods, which caused destruction across Queenslandâs south-east and northern NSW, resulting in 24 deaths.
Out-of-control fire
A fire burning out of control in Victoriaâs Grampians National Park has created a plume of smoke so large it can be seen from space.
Evacuation warnings were issued early on Thursday for Big Cord, Grampians, Mirranatwa, and Jimmy Creek.
The bushfire was continuing to spread and was expected to affect private properties around Mirranatwa on Thursday morning as it travelled in a north-westerly direction.
A relief centre has been opened in Dunkeld.
Weatherzone said persistent south-easterly winds across Victoria on Wednesday fanned the flames.
âThese sustained winds have forced the fire to spread towards the north-west, while also carrying smoke close to 100 kilometres ahead of the fire front.
âThe smoke plume created by this fire was growing rapidly on Wednesday afternoon, going from a few kilometres long at midday to about 80 kilometres by 5pm and still growing.â
Satellite footage shows the fire starting as a wisp and growing into a thick cloudy blanket.
â with AAP
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