Firefighters are working to protect rural homes from an out-of-control grass fire which has already destroyed a farm shed at Tarago to the east of Canberra.

According to the ACT’s Emergency Services Agency, the fire on Taylors Creek Road, which firefighters are referring to as the Currandooley fire, has grown to about 2000 hectares in size.

An emergency warning has been issued for homes in the vicinity of Mount Fairy Road, Hazeldell Road and Barnet Drive with residents warned to take shelter where they are as the fire front approaches.

Aerial vision of the fire:

Residents in the vicinity of Goulbourn Road and Boro Road have been told to implement their Bush Fire Survival Plans now.

The fire has crossed the Bungendore Road, Mount Fairy Road and Goulburn Road.

The fire front is currently impacting Hazeldell Road and Barnet Drive and is moving in an easterly direction towards Boro Road.

Air tankers, including a DC10 and a Hercules, have been flown in to help fight the blaze.

Severe thunderstorm warning issued

Bungendore Road, Mount Fairy Road and Goulburn Road have all been closed to traffic.

Motorists have been told to avoid the area.

Motorists who are wanting to travel between Manar and Goulburn, or Bungendore and Goulburn, have been told to use the Kings Highway, Sutton Road and the Federal highway instead.

The Goulburn Queanbeyan Railway has been closed.

A severe thunderstorm warning has now also been issued for the Goulburn and Yass region, with damaging winds forecast over the next several hours.

It reached a top of 39 degrees Celsius in the region on Tuesday.

Wamboin fire contained

Richie Farrel from the wind farm beside Lake George said the fire front was less than 15 kilometres from their turbines.

“We have taken our personnel off-site and directed them to go home,” he told ABC Radio Canberra.

Closer to Canberra, firefighters have contained a blaze at Wamboin, about seven kilometres west of Bungendore.

The fire was burning near Norton Road and Wirreanda Road and was moving in an easterly direction towards Ryans Road.

At one point the blaze threatened several properties.

It managed to reach the front door of one home, before it was brought under control.

It is understood ACT and NSW fire fighting resources at the Wamboin fire have now been diverted to the blaze at Tarago.

A total fire ban is in place for the ACT and areas to the north, east and west of the territory on Wednesday.