Firefighters battle to contain more than 130 blazes across NSW and Queensland

Hundreds of firefighters are working to contain over 130 bushfires ravaging Queensland and New South Wales, as the Queensland premier cuts short her Europe trip to return home.

Over 400 people were in evacuation centres on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast as a blaze still burns out of control at Peregian Beach and Peregian Breeze Estate. One property has been destroyed in the area.

On Tuesday afternoon, a Boeing 737 dumped 15,000 litres of fire retardant onto the Peregian fire.

There are 80 fires burning across Queensland, with the biggest of concern still the Peregian Beach fire on the Sunshine Coast, but acting Queensland premier Jackie Trad said the number of fires could change overnight depending on the unpredictable wind conditions.

The fires have mostly been on the southern end of Queensland, but some have flared up near Brookhill and Oak Valley, south of Townsville.

The Bureau of Meteorology forecast fire dangers decreasing across most of Queensland from very high to high on Wednesday.

The Queensland premier, Annatascia Palaszczuk, will return home later this week, earlier than planned, in response to the ongoing situation. Palaszczuk is in Switzerland meeting with IOC officials regarding Queensland’s potential bid for the 2032 Olympic Games. Guardian Australia understands the meeting could not be moved, and the premier will return as soon as it is finished, arriving back in Queensland on Thursday instead of Saturday.

The Queensland opposition had criticised Palaszczuk leaving for the trip on the weekend when fires were beginning to flare up.

Trad said if Queensland was going to be a serious contender for the 2032 Olympics, the premier had to be there. Trad told the ABC that Palaszczuk had been receiving frequent updates on the fire situation from Switzerland.

In a press conference held at midday today, Trad announced with Queensland police commissioner Katarina Carroll the establishment of a taskforce to investigate the source of eight fires in the past few days.

“Some of the behaviour has been unfortunately reckless and other behaviour has been purposeful,” Carroll said.

“Some of the fires have involved children playing and obviously the consequences are dire as a result of that and, as I said, some of them have been purposeful and malicious. Can I please ask parents to speak to their children.”

Police located a 12-year-old boy who was alleged to have deliberately lit a fire in bushland and part of a Logan City Council storage facility. The fire destroyed a fence and two shipping containers in the facility. Queensland Police said he would be dealt with under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act.

Police have also spoken to teenagers who allegedly claimed responsibility for the Peregian fire after their chats were posted on Facebook.

In northern New South Wales, the fires have been burning out of control in Shark Creek near Yamba, Bees Nest near Armidale, and Drake.

Nine homes have so far been reported as lost in the 50 fires burning in New South Wales.

The Bees Nest fire has been downgraded to watch and act as conditions ease, but is still considered out of control. It has burned more than 66,500 hectares. Strong winds are pushing the fire in a north easterly direction.

The Drake fire has burned 40,000 hectares and is still not in control as it burns to the west of the Clarence River in the Girard State Forest.

The Shark Creek fire has burned 9,000 hectares. It is still not in control, but firefighters have slowed the spread of the fire and conditions are easing, meaning the threat to properties has eased.

A fire in Legume has been contained and the immediate threat to properties has eased.