Australia - A brush fire in Australia's central Queensland is threatening residents of a suburban area, officials say. The fire near Norman Gardens, a suburb of Rockhampton, has been burning in thick scrub for 11 days and local residents have been forced to evacuate, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported Tuesday.

Assistant Fire Commissioner Neil Gallant said 40 crews of firefighters were active in the area, bulldozing a fire break to protect about 100 homes from the flames.

"There's no forecast from the bureau that gives us great hope that there will be rains in the near future," he told the Australian broadcaster.

Officials said fire breaks were being carved out to stop a grass fire in the Whitsundays in north Queensland, while a blaze was also causing trouble at Riordanvale, the ABC reported.

Written by United Press International