A holidaymaker could face charges after lighting a campfire during a total fire ban that sparked a massive blaze on a popular holiday island.

The fire broke out on Moreton Island off Queensland’s south-eastern coast in dense national park land near Eastern Beach at 10.30am on Saturday.

It forced the evacuation of 20 campers to the western side of the island on the long weekend.

The fire burned through the night with dozens of fire crews, five aircraft – including water bombers, trying to contain the blaze in Moreton National Park.

Conditions eased overnight but authorities remain on alert with extreme conditions expected to continue on Monday’s public holiday.

A total fire ban has been in place since Thursday and will remain in effect until at least Tuesday.

Rural Fire Service Queensland Acting Chief Superintendent Neil Parker said the cause of the blaze was a campfire at Eagers Creek, on the island’s eastern coast.

“When careless things like this happen, it has a big impact, particularly on our volunteers who go out at all hours of the night to keep our community safe,” he said on Sunday.

Tangalooma Resort director David James said the resort was “operating as per normal, no evacuations”.

“There’s been no damage, no injuries,” he said.

“When it first flared up, we had really strong east-south-east winds, and that’s when it took off.

“There have been a lot of back burns and fire breaks across the island after the fires a few years ago. So they’re reaping the rewards from that, a lot of lessons have been learned.”

A favourable wind change overnight helped with the backburn, which was within a target area of about 2300 hectares.

“We’re working strongly to maintain this break with our crews, and they’ll be working throughout the night,” Parker said.

“They’re burning into the breeze, which is a good way to attack this fire. As a fire comes to the break, they’re back burning towards the fire.”

There were about 500 people of the island, many visiting for school holidays and the long weekend.

The Moreton Island fire is one of dozens of fires burning across Queensland.

Two fires were listed as Watch and Act in the Bundaberg region — one in Nearum, south-west of Gin Gin, and one near Gaeta Road in Takilberan.

-AAP