Firefighters have made the harrowing discovery of a body amid a battle to contain intensifying bush blazes in southern Queensland that have destroyed five homes.

Police say the body was found in the Tara region on the Western Downs, west of Brisbane, on Tuesday – as 40 bushfires continue to rage across Queensland.

“This is an emerging situation and investigations are ongoing,” police said.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

Meanwhile, Perth residents have been warned to close their doors and windows as firefighters battle a blaze in the famous Kings Park, with the arson squad investigating.

Emergency services warned people in and near the park – one of the world’s largest inner-city parks – that they should leave the area immediately or be prepared to defend their homes.

Soaring temps

Firefighters across Queensland are on high alert on Wednesday, with above-average temperatures and increased winds forecast as residents in the state’s south await the all-clear to return home.

More than 50 people fled their homes on Tuesday as firefighters and volunteers battled the blaze amid soaring temperatures.

Residents were told to leave their homes at Tara, Wieambilla, Kogan, Goranba and Weranga west of Brisbane, as well as Millmerran Downs and Cypress Gardens in the southwest.

More than 40 firefighting crews with waterbombing aircraft were battling to contain the blaze.

The large, fast-moving fire was burning between Tara, Wieambilla and Kogan late on Tuesday.

Queensland Rural Fire Service Chief Superintendent Tony Johnstone said five homes had been lost in the blaze and another 10 properties were under close watch.

He said spot fires had been advancing 200 metres ahead of the bushfire due to strong winds.

Evacuation centres have been set up at Western Downs Regional Council customer centre and Millmerran showgrounds.

Tweet from @QldFES

Johnstone said fire crews would conduct line scans overnight.

“We do line scans each night so that when crews start the next day they can actually see where the fire has been,” he said on Tuesday.

State Fire and Emergency Services Minister Mark Ryan said the government had extended the contract period for firefighting aircraft with a lengthy fire season forecast.

Waterbombing aircraft have already conducted more than 6000 drops.

Johnstone said the waterbombing aircraft helped but it was “troops on the ground” that stopped bushfires.

“We saw it yesterday at Tara where a number of … landholders grabbed their own machinery and started to push in fire breaks and work with …the local brigades to start to work the flanks of the fires,” he said.

Ryan said below average rainfall and “intense” dry conditions had led to the extended fire season.

Mid-week temperatures are forecast to reach up to 42 degrees in the north-west and 40 degrees in the central west.

Extreme fire danger ratings are expected for the state’s Gulf Country, central west, northwest and Channel Country in the coming days.

The Bureau of Meteorology said a southerly change would bring cooler conditions moving through from the Channel Country in the state’s west later this week, with a chance of rain in the Western Downs by Friday.

Bushfires continue to burn as QFES Commissioner Greg Leach prepares to step down on Friday with Acting Deputy Commissioner Stephen Smith stepping up to replace him until a new chief is appointed.

Arson investigation

Meanwhile, firefighters have also battled an out-of-control bushfire in Perth’s Kings Park, which police are treating as suspicious.

Emergency services warned people in and near the park they should leave the area immediately or be prepared to defend their homes.

“There is a possible threat to lives and homes as a fire is approaching in the area and conditions are changing,” an alert from Western Australia’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services says.

The bushfire is moving north-easterly, with multiple roads closed in the area.

Local resident Gareth Hayes said ash was dropping around his house about two kilometres from the park in the suburb of Subiaco.

“There are helicopters buzzing about and I can see a big plume of smoke drifting west away from the park,” he said.

It’s the second bushfire in Perth’s inner suburbs this week, with firefighters on Monday called to a blaze in Bold Park, which is also largely bushland and is 437ha in size.

Kings Park is one of the world’s largest inner city parks, covering about 400 hectares and with a circumference of about 10 kilometres.

It is west of the Perth CBD on Mount Eliza and is a mixture of bushland, botanic gardens and grassed parklands.

It’s also a popular tourist spot, with panoramic views across Perth from Mount Eliza, an outdoor cinema, a historic tennis club and restaurants.

The park is also home to WA’s State War Memorial and is surrounded by hospitals, apartment buildings, family homes, busy inner-city roads and office buildings.

WA Police urged anyone with information on the fire to come forward and said rewards of up to $25,000 were available for intelligence that leads to a conviction.

-with AAP