<p class="title">Thousands of people were being evacuated from their homes in northeast Australia late Wednesday, as bushfires raged across Queensland state amid a scorching heatwave.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Some 8,000 people were told to leave the town of Gracemere, south of the central coast area of Rockhampton, as a fast-moving blaze threatened homes.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Bureau of Meteorology declared a "catastrophic" fire danger -- the highest possible risk rating -- in some central areas, while firefighters battled to contain more than 130 blazes across the state.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"This is a very stressful situation for families. I need you to all be strong. I need you to all listen. Your family and the protection of our community is vital," state premier Annastacia Palaszczuk warned those told to leave.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"So we need to reach out to community members who are frail, who are elderly, who have a disability. Please listen to authorities, it is going to get a lot worse," she added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Bureau of Meteorology said scorching temperatures had broken records across Queensland, with the state capital Brisbane reaching 37.9 degrees Celsius.</p>.<p class="bodytext">At least 34 schools were closed, and authorities earlier in the day said the number of homes destroyed was likely in "single digits" but it was too early to confirm.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Other states were sending back up firefighters to Queensland.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We will see more fires flare up very very quickly, so this is the start of it," Queensland fire and emergency services commissioner Katarina Carroll warned those evacuating.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It is very difficult to get a sense of how long people have in the area because the winds are picking up faster than what was expected -- so evolving, but very, very quickly," she added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Resident Luana Royle from the central Queensland town of Finch Hatton told national broadcaster ABC that the area had been hard-hit by the blaze.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Our fires around here, you couldn't even see 500 metres in front of you this morning," she said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Everyone is OK, but two houses have went, which is pretty sad."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Australia is no stranger to extreme weather, experiencing flash floods, sandstorms and even extreme drought in areas that are now being inundated.</p>.<p class="bodytext">South of Queensland, in the neighbouring state of New South Wales, Sydney on Wednesday was hit by severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The local Bureau of Meteorology reported more than 106 millimetres of rain in some places within a few hours.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Flights were cancelled, railway lines closed and motorists stranded on flooded roads, as a month's worth of rain fell there early Wednesday morning.</p>
<p class="title">Thousands of people were being evacuated from their homes in northeast Australia late Wednesday, as bushfires raged across Queensland state amid a scorching heatwave.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Some 8,000 people were told to leave the town of Gracemere, south of the central coast area of Rockhampton, as a fast-moving blaze threatened homes.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Bureau of Meteorology declared a "catastrophic" fire danger -- the highest possible risk rating -- in some central areas, while firefighters battled to contain more than 130 blazes across the state.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"This is a very stressful situation for families. I need you to all be strong. I need you to all listen. Your family and the protection of our community is vital," state premier Annastacia Palaszczuk warned those told to leave.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"So we need to reach out to community members who are frail, who are elderly, who have a disability. Please listen to authorities, it is going to get a lot worse," she added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Bureau of Meteorology said scorching temperatures had broken records across Queensland, with the state capital Brisbane reaching 37.9 degrees Celsius.</p>.<p class="bodytext">At least 34 schools were closed, and authorities earlier in the day said the number of homes destroyed was likely in "single digits" but it was too early to confirm.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Other states were sending back up firefighters to Queensland.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We will see more fires flare up very very quickly, so this is the start of it," Queensland fire and emergency services commissioner Katarina Carroll warned those evacuating.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It is very difficult to get a sense of how long people have in the area because the winds are picking up faster than what was expected -- so evolving, but very, very quickly," she added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Resident Luana Royle from the central Queensland town of Finch Hatton told national broadcaster ABC that the area had been hard-hit by the blaze.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Our fires around here, you couldn't even see 500 metres in front of you this morning," she said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Everyone is OK, but two houses have went, which is pretty sad."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Australia is no stranger to extreme weather, experiencing flash floods, sandstorms and even extreme drought in areas that are now being inundated.</p>.<p class="bodytext">South of Queensland, in the neighbouring state of New South Wales, Sydney on Wednesday was hit by severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The local Bureau of Meteorology reported more than 106 millimetres of rain in some places within a few hours.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Flights were cancelled, railway lines closed and motorists stranded on flooded roads, as a month's worth of rain fell there early Wednesday morning.</p>