Thousands of residents have left their homes as a large bushfire bears down on the Cooroibah area on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, with several emergency alerts issued as more than 50 bushfires burn across the state.

Key points: There are more than 50 fires currently burning across Queensland

There are more than 50 fires currently burning across Queensland Strong winds and extreme heat are compounding the fire threat

Strong winds and extreme heat are compounding the fire threat Most of the state will remain in very high fire danger over the weekend

A "leave immediately" alert was issued for the fire at Cooroibah earlier on Friday.

Queensland Police Senior Sergeant Steve Hall said 440 homes, which comprised about 2,500 people, had been evacuated from Cooroibah by 6:30pm.

The fire previously caused problems in the Teewah area earlier this week.

About 5:10pm, Queensland police tweeted that all Tewantin residents must also evacuate the area as there was an imminent threat to homes.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) Assistant Commissioner Megan Stiffler said there were 200 vehicles being used in the fight through the southern Queensland area.

"Our main concern is at Cooroibah fire up in the Noosa North Shore and the Tewantin area," she said.

"We have given specific streets advice to leave now, however the greater Tewantin area needs to be right across this activity tonight.

"The fire behaviour is expected to continue throughout this evening with strong winds continuing and conditions not letting up throughout the night.

"It's really critical that our community stays across all of our warnings and our websites.

Residents have been told to leave now as a bushfire at Cooroibah threatens properties. ( Supplied: Shaun Collins )

"What we want to do is do it in a measured manner, so the whole community should be on alert, but we're not evacuating people until it's necessary and we're ensuring they've got plenty of time in case they need to leave."

Four evacuation centres have been established, at the Girraween Sports Complex, Cooroy Library, Noosa Leisure Centre and The J Noosa.

A bushfire is also approaching Jimna from the west, with the urging residents to leave now, saying conditions will get worse.

At 3:25pm the fast-moving fire was travelling towards Peach Trees Camping Area and the town of Jimna.

Mike Hurley has been a Cooroibah resident for more than 30 years and said while he had experienced bushfires, he had never seen anything like this fire before.

Bushfire and huge smoke plume behind homes at Cooroibah on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. ( ABC News: Rachel McGhee )

"There was a lot of smoke and it got progressively worse — it got to the stage where it was almost untenable, so we were asked to get out in time before the flames came," he said.

Noosa Mayor Tony Wellington has urged people to steer clear.

"I urge people not to head towards the fire for the sake of a 'look-see'," he said.

"There's a lot of emergency crews there, there's a lot of emergency fire units, plus helicopters working on it at the moment — we estimate 780 properties have been evacuated."

Rachel McGhee, who was visiting her parents at Cooroibah, said things had been a little tense with fires earlier this week but all had looked good earlier on Friday.

"Woke up this morning and went to the beach with my mum and by the time we were driving back through Tewantin back into Cooroibah, there was just black plumes coming into the sky — it's still all smoky outside our place at the moment," she said.

"The police have just gone past our place to tell people to get out, so we've got the bags in the car, the pets in the car, filling up pumps with water. So we'll see how things go."

She said cars were "heading out one after the other" from the area.

"My aunty is in Noosaville, so we'll go see her for the time being, but we're hopeful we'll be able to come back tonight, but if not, we've at least got family we can go and stay with," she said.

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Cooroibah resident Shaun Collins said the fire had escalated quickly between 1:30pm and 3:30pm.

He evacuated to the Noosa Rugby League Oval with his dog and the neighbour's cat.

He said his bags had been packed early — a lesson learned after watching friends go through a similar emergency at Peregian Beach.

"There were fire trucks and police cars coming up and down our road, but we could already see the flames so we decided to leave," he said.

Mr Collins said in 17 years living at Cooroibah, he had not seen a fire like this.

"We've had backburns that have gotten out of control, but nothing as bad as this," he said.

"It's really dry heat and the winds are crazy at the moment, pushing it across."

Very dangerous fires west of Brisbane

Meanwhile, a large and fast-moving fire at Tarome is currently burning at Mount Castle and travelling in a south-easterly direction towards Tarome Road.

Conditions are dangerous and firefighters may soon be unable to prevent the fire advancing, with the blaze posing a threat to all lives directly in its path.

QFES said at 6:00pm the large, unpredictable fire is travelling from Mount Castle towards Ryan Road, Hinrichsen Road and Tarome Road and likely to impact Simmonds Road, Rose Road and the Cunningham Highway.

It said affected residents could take shelter at the Aratula Community Centre.

The small communities of Thornton, Lefthand Branch, Laidley Creek West and Mulgowie, west of Brisbane, have also been told by authorities to leave now.

The bushfire in the area split in two to become two large, unpredictable blazes that are travelling in different directions.

At 3:55pm a large, fast-moving fire was travelling in an easterly direction towards Mcgarrigal Road, Laidley Creek West Road and Baulch Road and expected to impact Mcgarrigal Road, Laidley Creek West Road and Baulch Road.

An evacuation centre has been opened at the Laidley Sports Centre.

Earlier on Friday a "leave now" alert was issued for a bushfire in the Logan area, south of Brisbane, with the blaze flaring at Buccan about 1:30pm, heading east from Waterford-Tamborine Road.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 1 minute 25 seconds 1 m 25 s Bushfire threatens homes at The Gap in Brisbane

The Buccan fire has since been contained and firefighters remain on the scene to monitor the area.

A fire also flared at The Gap on Friday afternoon — a residential suburb about 8 kilometres from the Brisbane CBD.

The blaze threatened properties near Canterbury Place and Bruree Street, with residents attempting to extinguish the fire with garden hoses.

The fire now been brought under control.

'Long, hard and hot' fire season

Assistant Commissioner Stiffler said fire crews were prepared for a "long, hard and hot" fire season and have ramped up their resources.

"We've extended our air fleet right through till December 22 with an option to go all the way into January," she said.

She said plans were in place to ensure crews could fight fires in drought ravaged communities.

As fires approached properties in The Gap, residents were seen trying to extinguish the flames. ( ABC News )

"We've worked with our local councils to work out where are the best water resources that don't impact on drinking water, and we are certainly working with all our communities to work out if we impact their farms or drinking water, we can get them through this drought," she said.

QFES superintendent James Haig said it would be a tough few days in what has already been a very early start to the fire season.

A very high fire danger is expected to remain for most of the state over the weekend.

"It's going to be very challenging with a particular focus down in those areas nearest the border," Superintendent Haig said.

With conditions intense, the smallest spark from a mower, grinder or welder could start a fire.

"Please if you can, avoid it," Mr Haig said.