SYDNEY, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of residents near the Australian township of Agnes Water have been forced to evacuate their homes as out-of-control wildfires ravage large parts of Queensland state on Monday.
At least two homes and one boat-shed have been destroyed by the blaze and authorities said several more properties remain in immediate danger.
"Strong winds and dry conditions in Central Queensland, especially in Deepwater and Baffle Creek, have meant these fires have been moving quickly and crews are working extremely hard to get on top of things early," Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) Commissioner Katarina Carroll said in a statement.
"There has already been significant fire activity across the state and... I understand that the fire danger will increase across the State."
With today's temperatures in excess of 35 degrees Celsius in some areas and more hot weather forecast throughout the rest of the week, Carroll said "I can't emphasize enough just how important it is for residents in exposed areas to stay informed and follow any instructions issued by emergency services, including to evacuate."
In total, the QFES responded to around 240 wildfires over the weekend, that burned through 11,000 hectares of land.
"We are seeing unprecedented weather conditions, with extremely dry conditions, low humidity and very high temperatures," Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.
"And I want to thank the firefighters and Queensland Fire and Emergency Services personnel who are on the front line fighting fires and keeping Queenslanders safe."
