A second body has been discovered as a ferocious bushfire described as a “wild beast” forces hundreds of people to flee in Queensland’s south.

The fire-ravaged community of Tara, west of Brisbane, faced another tough day on Wednesday after about 200 people were forced to flee their homes on Tuesday as firefighters battled the Western Downs blaze.

By Wednesday afternoon, that had risen to about 350 people at Tara, and another 50 at Millmerran, where another fire is burning.

A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokesman said the Tara blaze, which had burned through about 11,000 hectares and was still uncontrolled on Wednesday afternoon.

“I’m not going to mince words here. It’s a dangerous fire, and people need to take heed of all the warnings that are currently out that way,” he said.

He said four houses and a shed had been lost so far at Tara. Another house has also been destroyed at Millmerran. Some blocks remained too dangerous for authorities to enter to ascertain losses.

The body of a woman, who apparently had a cardiac arrest and died while preparing to evacuate her property on Monday, was found on Wednesday.

It followed the discovery about 6.30pm on Tuesday of another body, believed to be that of a missing adult man, near a dam. The remains are yet to be formally identified.

Evacuation areas around Tara were being expanded on Wednesday afternoon, although the township itself has not been evacuated.

“The fires at night, with the current weather that we’re having, are not dying down. They’re actually maintaining intensity and becoming erratic overnight as well – so there will be last minute messaging. We ask people to maintain vigilance around that messaging,” he said.

“We’ve got temperatures in excess of 38-42 degrees currently, relative humidity around about 15 per cent.

“[In] the next 24 hours, we’re expecting a wind shift from the south pushing the fire to the north and the north-east by about between 10pm and 1am.”

He said the fire danger in the area was expected to last for weeks, even into the early days of 2024.

“We can’t have a fire truck on every corner but please take care, make sure you heed all the warnings … look after each other and community.”

Western Downs Mayor Paul McVeigh said the Tara community was reeling after the twin tragedies and the devastating fire.

“With the tragedy last night, it has really knocked our community around,” he said.

McVeigh said more than 170 people sought refuge at evacuation centres in Tara and surrounding towns on Tuesday night. Some had lost everything, he said.

Local Lorraine Hodkinson, who fled her home, told the Courier Mail that she thought her home had been destroyed, after learning that other evacuees had lost theirs.

“All I could see was a big plume of smoke and flames, I had a bag packed and grabbed that, I got the dogs and we got out,” she said.

“I did not think our houses would have survived.”

Another resident told newspaper that it “feels like (Tara) is being targeted”.

“This fire is like nothing I’ve ever seen,” they said.

“I used to be a volunteer firefighter in Western Australia but this is something else.”

Queensland Reconstruction Agency CEO Jake Ellwood said fatigue had become an issue for firefighters as they battled a blaze that was difficult to combat due to wind changes. Flames have been reported up to 15 metres high.

“It’s a bit of a wild beast at the moment,” he said.

QFES had “leave immediately” warnings out for Tara and Wieambilla on Wednesday afternoon, as 20 crews battled the blaze.

Police would attempt to go door-to-door to warn residents to flee, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.

Residents at nearby Kogan, Goranba and Weranga and areas of Tara have been told it is not safe to return to their homes.

About 12 crews are also trying to contain a blaze that has burned 2000 hectares in the Darling Downs in Queensland’s south-west.

Residents at Millmerran Woods, Cypress Gardens and Millmerran Downs have been told it is not safe to return to their homes. There are about a dozen people in evacuation centres.

Overall there are 53 fires burning across Queensland. The state’s central and southern inland regions face days more of high to extreme fire danger ratings.

“Fast moving wind-driven fires are likely for the early hours of tomorrow morning, so we need everyone to be alert,” Palaszczuk told parliament on Wednesday.

A community meeting was held in Tara on Wednesday afternoon.

The Bureau of Meteorology said a southerly change would bring cooler conditions through western Queensland later this week. There is a chance of rain in the Western Downs by Friday.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles said people affected by the bushfires could access government financial assistance, with $180 for individuals and up to $900 for a family of five.

Uninsured residents can also access grants of up to $5000 per household.

McVeigh said there might be more challenges ahead but the Western Downs community was banding together.

“When we have tragedies like this we come together and we support each other,” he said.

“I am very, very proud of our community at this very tough time.”

-with AAP