The Queensland border town of Stanthorpe has lost power and residents have been told stay put because as a potentially deadly fire approaches the town.

September 6, 2019

The sky above the Queensland border town of Stanthorpe is gold and not in a good way as a potentially deadly bushfire bears down on homes.

Residents were warned about 6pm that they were in imminent danger from the bushfire and must seek shelter to survive.

Murray Gardens assistant manager Kerry Edminston says the motel’s 24 guests had already been evacuated and she was waiting to go.

“The sky is gold and not in a good way,” she told AAP during a hurried phone call.

Ms Edminston said the fire appeared to be burning on a broad front with the main fire “peaking over the hill” to her north-west.

“There are firefighters working right beside us but luckily the wind is blowing the other way,” she said.

Southern Downs mayor Tracy Dobbie says the bushfire has taken out a substation and much of Stanthorpe is without power.

“It’s moved very quickly,” she said.

Cr Dobbie said some people evacuated town earlier in the day but there were still many left behind, sheltering in their homes due to the speed the fire had descended upon them.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services says it now too late to leave Stanthorpe because driving could be deadly.

Residents are instead advised to evacuate via the New England Highway using High Street to the evacuation centre, which has been opened at the Stanthorpe Fitness Centre on Talc Street. 

The adjoining community of Applethorpe has also been told to evacuate to the same centre.

The Darling Downs and Granite Belt districts have been on the alert for much of the week as the fire conditions worsened.

Drought conditions have been so bad many dams have run dry, Cr Dobbie said.

“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,” she said.