Two homes destroyed as fires rage through Queensland

Another house has been lost and an emergency situation declared where a huge bushfire rages in difficult terrain inland from the Gold Coast.

It is the second home lost to flames as firefighters throw everything they can at more than 50 fires burning in Queensland on Friday.

The worst blaze is the Scenic Rim fire between Sarabah and Canungra, where a house has been lost and people have been told to leave.

Police have declared an emergency situation in Canungra.

Scenic Rim mayor Greg Christensen says a house that firefighters couldn't access had been "lost".

“There's uncertainty about what might happen next," he said, adding the steep terrain and winds were making the fires unpredictable.

Early Friday evening would be the "determining period" for how serious the fires could be there, he said.

Ferny Glen resident Greg Hinchcliffe says he's seen fires take off from embers landing in grassland.

"It's pretty bad, a lady up the road just lost her house," Mr Hinchcliffe said.

"The embers up in the air are hard to keep on top of, it (fire) takes off quick."

Waterbombers are helping attack the fire that has destroyed hundreds of hectares of bushland and the house since Tuesday.

Another fire of concern is a very active blaze at Hawkwood, some 200km west of Bundaberg.

People have been told to prepare to leave the Hawkwood area where conditions could get worse quickly.

Further north, the first home to be lost to bushfires this season was destroyed on Thursday in a fast-moving grassfire near Mareeba.

"The house was very close to where the fire started," a fire service spokesman told AAP.

"It moved very quickly and before crews got there the house was lost. The family is safe."

In the Maranoa and Warrego and the Darling Downs and Granite Belt districts, which are facing extreme fire danger, some vegetation fires have started.

In the Darling Downs, Southern Downs mayor Tracy Dobbie says her area, west of the Gold Coast, is bone dry.

"It is very hot now, and very windy," she told AAP.

"Most rural residents don't have any water in their dams to fight a fire. We are saying to them really reassess your fire plan and be prepared to leave if there is a fire."

Water laden tankers are in place, and the bellies of fire fighting aircraft are full to respond to any outbreak.

"There is a total fire ban. Please don't use any equipment outside that could spark a fire," the mayor urged.

Conditions are expected to worsen on Friday afternoon ahead of a cool change.

It is still possible the fire danger could escalate to a catastrophic rating later in some pockets of southern Queensland.

Winds up to 95 km/h were expected in the southwest in areas including Goondiwindi, St George, Hebel, Bollon, Mungindi and Dirranbandi.

The Bureau of Meteorology says a trifecta of strong gusty winds, temperatures in the mid-30s and very low humidity is creating very dangerous conditions.

Cooler conditions are forecast in coming days but the fire danger will remain high until the middle of next week.

Emergency warnings for northern NSW blazes

Emergency warnings have been issued for residents in Tenterfield and also Bees Nest near Armidale as bushfires burn out of control across northern NSW.

The Rural Fire Service says the blaze in Tenterfield on Mount Mackenzie Road is burning in an easterly direction and has crossed Young Street.

"Residents should seek shelter as the fire approaches. Protect yourself from the heat of the fire," the RFS tweeted at 2.30 pm on Friday.

The fire is moving towards homes in Laird Street, Francis Street, King Lane, Scott Lane and Trail Lane.

The bushfire at Bees Nest northeast of Armidale has burned through 6300 hectares.

"Strong winds are pushing the fire in a southeasterly direction towards Guy Fawkes River," the RFS said in its emergency warning.

A watch-and-act alert has also been issued for a fire at Long Gully Road in Drake.

"Residents should take advice from emergency services in the area and enact your bushfire survival plan," the RFS tweeted at 2pm.

Separately, residents in the regional town of Lidsdale have been told to enact their bushfire survival plans as a fire races towards their homes.

The Rural Fire Service issued a watch-and-act alert for the blaze near Lithgow earlier on Friday.

The fire – which started near the Castlereagh Highway – is burning in an easterly direction towards homes on View Street, a spokesman said. Crews are on-site to help protect properties.

"If your plan is to leave, leave now, before the fire threatens" the spokesman said.

A total fire ban has been declared across Sydney and much of NSW's north due to warm, dry and windy conditions.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued an extreme fire danger warning for the north coast, New England and northern slopes regions on Friday.

A severe fire danger warning is in place for the greater Sydney region, the Hunter, the far north coast, the central ranges and the northwest of the state.

Sydneysiders are banned from lighting fires in the open, including incinerators and BBQs that burn wood, charcoal or heat beads.

Welding, grinding, soldering or gas cutting is also banned in the open.

"There's a lot of fuel on the ground," Fire and Rescue NSW Acting Superintendent Rob Jansen told AAP.

"Any fires, particularly with a strong wind behind them, will run really quickly and people can get caught out.

"Be vigilant, be careful in what activities you undertake particularly in these fire ban weather."

Warialda in the state's northwest was expected to reach 34C on Friday while the temperature is forecast to hit 33C in Wauchope and Scone is expecting 30C.

Sydney is set to peak at 29C with strong winds tipped for the afternoon.

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