A large bushfire raging on an island off Brisbane could burn for some time, authorities say.
The fire has a 400-metre front and has been burning on the popular tourist destination of Moreton Island since Wednesday. It broke out north of Cowan, sparked by a vehicle fire, and has so far burned about 350 hectares of swamp and forest on the island's western side.
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service spokesman Anthony Contarino said firefighters were backburning around the town of Bulwer as the fire's northern front was 2km away.
He said there was no immediate threat to the town, or to Cowan, which is 2km from the fire's southern front.
"The risk of fire was greatly reduced by hazard-mitigation burns carried out last year," Mr Contarino said in a statement.
The fire's eastern flank is inaccessible and is being monitored with the help of a spotter aircraft. Tangalooma Resort was considered to be safe, Mr Contarino said.
While predicted hot temperatures are a concern for firefighters, an overnight increase in humidity could bring welcome showers. Mr Contarino said the fire could burn for some time.
"Our incident controller over there is assessing the situation at the moment and coming up with a strategy beyond the next couple of days," he told reporters on Thursday.
"We have some crews on stand-by that will be potentially available to go out there."
The wind was predicted to drop on Thursday afternoon, which would further aid firefighters, he said. About 50 campers in four of 11 sites evacuated on Wednesday have been allowed to return, and the remaining holiday-makers have been relocated to safer areas.
