An anxious wait lies ahead for a remote town, with a bushfire slowly advancing after burning for almost a week.
The blaze has left a 70km trail of damage since it first flared in Queensland's Gulf Country, destroying a home and burning rail lines and bridges.
It is now creeping closer to the rural community of Forsayth, despite the tireless efforts of multiple fire crews.
"It's arced up over the midday period which is understandable given the heat and the wind coming up," local mayor Barry Hughes told AAP.
"It's not contained yet, not by any stretch."
The fire has burned more than 56,000 hectares since it first began near Einasleigh six days ago.
It is now burning on three fronts near Forsayth after flaring amid hot weather and blustery conditions on Tuesday afternoon, Mr Hughes said.
"I know the fire has moved closer to the town," the Etheridge Shire Council mayor said.
"There's three fronts now. One has moved around to the south, one is still coming westward towards the town and one is burning away on the northern front.
"We are monitoring it closely. Water bombers have been centred on it all day."
A "prepare to leave" warning for Forsayth, northwest of Townsville, has been downgraded to a "stay informed" alert.
But crews have continued to work on the blaze, with more hot weather forecast this week.
Mr Hughes said the Forsayth community of about 100 people was ready for anything as it sweated on the fire's progress.
"Everybody is prepared. I won't say they are in good spirits," he said.
Back-up arrived on Tuesday from around the region to relieve exhausted crews who have been battling the blaze on the ground and in the air.
Almost a dozen crews were at one stage fighting the fire, including four planes and a Black Hawk helicopter along with rangers, council workers and local farmers.
"Fatigue is playing a huge role across the front-line fire fighters," Mr Hughes said.
Another day of 40 degree temperatures is set to test crews on Wednesday, extending a run of hot weather in the region.
The state's northwest is predicted to break a November record of 10 straight days above 40 degrees, last recorded back in 2015.
Most of northern Australia has endured persistent, intense heat in recent days.
It led to early season maximum temperature records in Queensland's northwest including 44 degrees at Julia Creek airport and 43.2 degrees near Mount Isa.
A long range forecast to November 29 indicates "unusually warm days" are likely for northern parts of the Northern Territory and Queensland, the Bureau of Meteorology said.
