Campers on Fraser Island have been evacuated as a huge bushfire sweeps through the area.
Everyone at the Cathedrals camping ground in the central part of the island are now believed to have left.
On their Facebook site, the caretakers warned the bushfire had closed to within 1.5 kilometres of the campground.
A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services media spokesperson warned it was no longer a safe to be.
“Part of the fire is in an area near Cathedrals on Fraser, the spokesperson said. “The warning is now at a ‘Watch and Act’ high level, which means leave now.”
The large bushfire has been burning on the island for several weeks but has just become a serious threat to the Cathedrals camp ground. It is thought to have been started by an illegal campfire on October 14.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services says visibility will worsen as the bushfire nears.
There is a separate, more general bushfire warning issued for residents of, and visitors to, Happy Valley, on the east of the island.
The situation on Fraser Island is a stark reminder of the threat posed by bushfires in the hotter months. Last summer, huge swathes of land were scarred and lives were lost as multiple fires burned out of control.
