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Residents who have evacuated will not be allowed to return to the area until they are advised it is safe to do so due to dangerous fire activity.

There is a separate bushfire warning in place for residents along Tableland Road and Cross Road.

You need to be ready to follow your bushfire survival plan. If you do not have a plan, or intend to leave, you should be ready to leave the area because the situation could get worse quickly.

Currently as at 8.45pm Monday 16 December, the eastern side of the Mount Maria fire is burning in the vicinity of Cross Road, Hills Road, Whytallabah Road and Kirkpatrick Road. While these properties are not under direct threat at this time, residents should be prepared to leave the area as the situation could change quickly.

Fire crews are working to contain the fire but firefighters may not be able to protect every property. You should not expect a firefighter at your door.

Tableland Road is closed at Cross Road, however there is access to Baffle Creek, Agnes Water and Bundaberg.

Residents choosing to evacuate should travel south along Hills Road or north along Cross Road towards Miriam Vale to family and friends.

There is an evacuation centre at Miriam Vale Community Hall, 41 Blomfield St Miriam Vale.

People in the area will be affected by smoke, which will reduce visibility and air quality.

Call Triple Zero (000) immediately if you believe your property is under threat.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO:

• Listen to your local radio station or visit the Rural Fire Service (RFS) website for regular updates.

• If you have a bushfire survival plan, finalise it now so you are ready to follow it.

• If you do not have a bushfire survival plan, or if your plan is to leave, identify where you will go if you leave the area.

• Advise family and friends of your plan.

• Close windows and doors to minimise smoke exposure.

• If you suffer from a respiratory condition, keep your medication close by.

• Drive with caution in low visibility conditions.

• Contact your neighbours to see if they need help preparing for the bushfire.

• Pack important documents and essential items (e.g., passports, birth certificates, prescription medication, food and water, and protective clothing) in case you need to leave the area.

• Put on protective clothing (e.g., a long-sleeved cotton shirt, boots with thick soles).

• Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

• Bring pets inside; restrain them with a leash, a cage, or inside a secure room; and provide them with plenty of water.

• Take action to protect your livestock.

• Move flammable materials such as doormats, wheelie bins, and outdoor furniture away from your house.

• Fill containers such as your bath, sinks, and buckets with water so you have access to drinking water and firefighting water.

• Close windows and doors, sealing the gaps under doors and screens with wet towels to keep smoke out of the house.

KEEP UP TO DATE BY:

• Following QFES on Facebook (@QldFireandEmergencyServices) and Twitter (@QldFES)

• Staying tuned to your local radio station. Find your local ABC radio station at https://radio.abc.net.au/help/offline and your local commercial radio station at https://www.commercialradio.com.au/find-a-station/queensland;

• Visiting the Rural Fire Service (RFS) website at www.ruralfire.qld.gov.au/map

FURTHER INFORMATION:

• For bushfire preparation tips, visit the RFS website: www.ruralfire.qld.gov.au/BushFire_Safety

• For information about road closures, call 13 19 40 or visit www.qldtraffic.qld.gov.au

The next update will be provided by 8am or if the situation changes.