The Queensland Fire and Rescue Service placed the entire south western region of the state under heightened alert in the coming days as 340 blazes swept across the Australian state.

The basis of the higher alert was the Bureau of Meteorology's weather forecast of very dry conditions and north westerly winds.

The rural fires are blazing not just in Queensland, but also in Northern Territory, New South Wales and South Australia. The four Australian states have a total 735 active fires ongoing as of 5 a.m. of Monday.

On Sunday, the Queensland Rural Fire Department (QRFS) responded to over 180 vegetation fires across the state.

QRFS Acting Assistant Commissioner for Rural Operations Paul Adcock said that the weather are perfect conditions for rural fire. Following the rash of fires, Queensland placed a Fire Danger Period until midnight of Jan. 1, 2012 which bans the lighting of fires without a permit.

The state also postponed a number of permit burns in Queensland and asked valid permit holders to reconsider the need to light up in the coming days. The states RFS cautioned residents from throwing cigarette burns out of car windows and to be careful when operating machinery in grassy areas.

"Landowners who have conducted hazard reduction burns recently are strongly encouraged to take immediate steps to ensure that fire has been properly extinguished or to make sure the residual fire is contained so that it will not escape," Mr Adcock told Beef Central.

New South Wales Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons warned of real fire potential for residents of areas such as Bourke, Broken Hills, Central Darlikng, Brewarinna and Cobar to remain alert and ensure their families and properties are prepared.

South Australia's Country Fire Service issued a severe fire warning for the Northeast pastoral zone in the state and placed a total fire ban in the area for 24 hours.