Australia Wildfires: Thousands Told to Flee 'Catastrophic' Threat - The Weather Channel

Parts of Australia Experience Unprecedented Wildfire Threat

The fire danger was rated catastrophic in areas of central Queensland.
More than 138 wildfires broke out in northeast Australia Wednesday.
The fires come amid an 'exceptional' heat wave.

More than 138 wildfires broke out in northeast Australia Wednesday, forcing thousands to flee.

The fire danger was rated catastrophic in areas of central Queensland, the first time the highest danger rating had been applied to the state, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.

She said 34 schools had been closed in the most threatened regions. She warned families not to go out, to keep together and prepare to leave if needed.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Katarina Carroll said homes had been destroyed since Saturday in areas where the fire danger remained too high for teams to enter and assess damage. She expected that fewer than 10 homes had been lost so far.

High winds, dry air and severe heatwave conditions were combining to make the fire danger extreme, with 138 blazes raging by late Wednesday, Carroll said.

"Thunderstorms are going through those areas as we speak. There will be no rain from thunderstorms, in fact, they are adding to the problem," Carroll said.

"We have never, ever, in this state, been in this situation before. Not at a catastrophic level and this is uncharted waters," Carroll added.

Earlier this week, a wildfire stoked by heatwave conditions destroyed at least four homes, forced the evacuation of hundreds of others and razed 76 square miles of farmland and woodland.

(MORE: The Latest on Northern California's Camp Fire)

Police knocked on doors of homes in the small rural communities of Baffle Creek, Deepwater, Oyster Creek and Rules Beach in Queensland state to advise residents to evacuate but some were refusing, Gladstone Region Mayor Matt Burnett said.

"When you have a police officer knock at your door saying a fire is coming, it is time to get out — it's serious," Burnett said. "There is no one in that area that is safe to stay," he added.

Large swathes of Queensland are experiencing record high November temperatures and the heat wave will continue for days.

"This really has been an exceptional — and still is an exceptional — heat and fire event in Queensland," said Bureau of Meteorology state manager Bruce Gunn. "We've seen all-time temperature records absolutely shattered — records that have stood for 60 or 70 years."

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