Bushfire forces temporary closure of Warrego Highway near Brisbane

Dozens of fires are active across south-east Queensland, with a major blaze at Plainland triggering a Prepare to Leave warning at about 3:45 pm and halting traffic on the Warrego Highway both ways. The warning was downgraded to a Stay Informed advisory and the highway was fully reopened around 5:30 pm. Deputy chief officer Joel Gordon said the hot, dry weather is making firefighting difficult, while Lockyer Valley Regional Council mayor Tanya Milligan warned that up to 20 homes could be at risk.

Fire crews, including two water bombers, responded as the fire jumped the highway. Temperatures in the region reached 34-36 °C, the hottest September readings since 2019, according to senior meteorologist Steven Hadley.