Quick-thinking firefighters have saved a Queensland town from an encroaching blaze, but other communities have been ordered to evacuate as the state faces days of dangerous conditions.

Waterbombing aircraft were used to fight a bushfire creeping up on the border town of Wallangarra, population 600, late on Tuesday.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said a huge effort involving help from NSW had ensured the flames went “around the town”.

“The town has been saved. This is tremendous work. And I also want to thank the NSW government because we utilised their large tanker, their large plane, and that has been of tremendous service,” she said.

The operation was launched by Queensland firefighters in co-ordination with a NSW water-bombing aircraft.

“It was a great joint operation with NSW. We shared resources, [had] really affective co-ordination which is something that we are well practised in,” Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Deputy Commissioner Mike Wassing said.

However, on the other side of the border in NSW authorities were waiting for first light to assess the damage in Tenterfield, which was the epicentre of NSW’s firefighting efforts on Tuesday.

Seven blazes ignited to Tenterfield’s north, west and south.

The extent of property damage in the town of 4000 and its surrounds will likely remain unclear until fire grounds are made safe and building assessments can begin.

Spot fires ignited in Tenterfield after embers were blown several kilometres west from the 2800-hectare Woodside fire.

Six kilometres south-east of the town, the uncontrolled Scrub Road blaze was burning through forested area and impacting homes and properties.

Fire also jumped the Queensland border, forcing NSW residents in Jennings to shelter in place.

Another border town Boggabilla was spared destruction after firefighters gained the upper hand on a blaze that ignited on the town’s fringes.

On Tuesday night, 88 fires were burning across the state, 31 of which were yet to be contained.

In Queensland, the major concern remains the Tara fire, which has claimed a life, burned 20,000 hectares and destroyed more Queensland houses in the past week than the 2019 Black Summer disaster.

A fire in Dalveen, in the state’s south, prompted an emergency warning in the early hours of Wednesday for residents in the area between the New England Highway, Warwick Killarney Road and Cullendore Road to leave immediately.

A cool change is expected to move through the state in coming days, bringing showers and storms from Friday.

Fire danger ratings may be set to decrease but QFES will remain on high alert.

“Our focus in the next 24 to 48 hours is really watching these storms as they come through,” Wassing said.

“Last time we got some storms through we got approximately 10 new fires from lightning.

“It is probably two days before we get some sort of reprieve … but we’ve got amazing people that are battle hardened right across the state who continue to step up.”

Crews from Victoria and New Zealand will relieve those who have battled the Tara blaze for more than a week, with a long campaign still expected.

The fire has destroyed 53 houses – four more than the Black Summer fires claimed across Queensland.

“It is really to supplement and support our local crews who continue to do an absolutely amazing job – that is planned out for the next month,” Wassing said.

Another blaze that flared on Tuesday was at Goodwood, north of Brisbane. It destroyed a home and forced a school’s closure after jumping containment lines.

Countless Queenslanders have been forced to evacuate their homes.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese flew into Queensland on Tuesday to pledge support, with federal government funding available through the disaster recovery payment and allowance. He expects 42,000 claims.

The Queensland government also offered financial assistance to affected families and primary producers before pledging $1 million towards a bushfire appeal.

More details on how people can donate will be released on Wednesday.

-with AAP