Rockhampton's bushfire threat eases

Rockhampton residents who evacuated their homes as a large bushfire threatened their
properties in the central Queensland city have been allowed to return.

Weary firefighters who have battled hundreds of blazes for almost a month attended
more than 40 blazes across the state on Sunday, some of which may have been
deliberately lit.
Much of Queensland remains under fire bans and a spokeswoman for the Department of
Community Safety told AAP it was likely they would be extended beyond the expiry
time of midnight on Monday.
The immediate threat to the Frenchville area of Rockhampton has passed and the large
bushfire has been confined to Mt Archer National Park, the Queensland Fire and
Rescue Service (QFRS) says.
"Residents who chose to relocate on the advice of authorities are now able to return
to their homes," a QFRS statement said on Sunday afternoon.
"Several roads in the area will remain closed but local residents will be allowed
through."
Authorities are advising motorists to avoid the Mt Archer area as emergency vehicles
need to have clear access.
"Currently, numerous fire crews in conjunction with waterbombing helicopters are
working to contain the blaze," the QFRS said.
A dwelling was lost at Lakes Creek in the Mt Archer area, just to the east of
Rockhampton.
Rockhampton Mayor Brad Carter said he had spotted up to 15 fires he believed had
been deliberately lit along Emu Park Road on Sunday.
"They were about a couple of kilometres apart and they had started at the roadside,"
Mr Carter told ABC Radio.
"There was no other fires in the immediate vicinity so the issue of them being
started by flying embers and that sort of thing seems highly remote."
Elsewhere in central Queensland, firefighters have saved three homes and a shed at
Springsure and graders have been establishing fire breaks to protect other property.
Six rural fire crews and an urban crew are in attendance at a blaze at Tanby, east
of Rockhampton, where fire crews are backburning around homes.
Another large fire is burning in woodland at Lotus creek, northwest of Rockhampton.
Firefighters have battled four fires in the Sunshine Coast region north of Brisbane
and its hinterland.
Six rural fire crews remain at the scene of a grass fire on Silver Perch Road,
Barambah.
A large fire that has burned since Thursday is being monitored at Gaeta.
Four fire crews remain on scene to monitor the perimeter of a fire on Kalpowar Road,
Kolonga.
Seven crews continue to monitor a large fire at Mount Perry.
In the north of the state, fires are burning at Woodstock, near the Bruce Highway in
the Crystal Creek and Paluma area, south of Ingham.