EVACUATE: up to 8,000 people have been ordered to leave Gracemere

Residents of GRACEMERE are asked to evacuate to Rockhampton after the Stanwell and Kabra fires that affected the area.

An immediate warning has been issued for Stanwell.

Queensland Prime Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk tweeted that the fire was affecting Gracemere and that residents would have to go to the Rockhampton Showgrounds.

Up to 8,000 people were invited to leave.

The fire is burning at Neerkol Rd, Stanwell.

QFES Council:

Leaving immediately is the safest option because it will soon be too dangerous to drive.

Follow your bushfire survival plan now. If you do not have a plan, your safest option is to leave immediately if it is obvious to do so.

If you can not leave, indicate where you will seek shelter from the bush fire. If you are not in the area, do not come back because the conditions are too dangerous.

Currently, at 3 pm, a large light is moving rapidly east along the Capricorn Highway from Stanwell to Kabra, Gracemere and surrounding areas. This should have an impact on the townships of Kabra, Gracemere and surrounding areas in the coming hours.

The fire should have a significant impact on the community.

All residents of Kabra, Gracemere and surrounding areas should evacuate eastward along the Capricorn Road to Rockhampton Showgrounds in Wandal, if it is safe. If you can not evacuate safely, you will find an evacuation center at Rockhampton Showgrounds.

The conditions are now very dangerous and firefighters may soon be unable to prevent the fire from spreading.

Fire can be a threat to all lives directly in its path. Fire crews may not be able to protect your property. You should not wait for a firefighter on your door: act now.

Electricity, water and mobile phone services can be lost and the state of the road can become very dangerous over the next few hours.

Local residents will be affected by the smoke, which will reduce the visibility and quality of the air.

Call Triple Zero (000) immediately if you think you are at risk.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO:

. Listen to your local radio station or visit the Rural Fire Service (RFS) website for regular updates.

. Put on protective clothing (for example, a long-sleeved cotton shirt, thick-soled boots).

. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

. If you have breathing problems, keep your medicine nearby.

If you leave:

. Secure your animals for safe transportation.

. Check for road closures, and inform family and friends of your travel itinerary.

. Take your important documents and essentials (pbadports, birth certificates, prescription drugs, food and water and protective clothing, for example) when you leave.

. Drive with caution in low visibility conditions.

If you can not leave:

. Bring pets indoors; attach them with a leash, a cage or inside a secure room; and provide them with a lot of water.

. Fill containers such as your bath, sinks, and buckets of water to access drinking water and water for extinction.

. Close windows and doors by filling gaps under doors and mosquito nets with wet towels to prevent smoke from entering the house.

. Identify a safe place to shelter, which would be a place with more than one exit, preferably inside a brick building, away from windows and doors. The safest place is the furthest away from the intense heat of the fire. As the fire approaches and pbades, the safest place will change, so be prepared to move.