Brisbane tyre fire sparks health warning

A pile of tyres has caught fire in Brisbane, producing thick black smoke that has sparked a health warning for locals.

Fire crews are using an excavator to break up the tyres and reach the site of the blaze, which broke out about 7am (AEST) at a tyre recycling depot in the suburb of Rocklea.

"Initially it was causing a fair bit of black smoke ... but they've managed to reduce that," a fire service spokesman said.

"It is expected to be a fairly protracted incident, given the size of it."

Hazmat teams are monitoring air quality.

Queensland's chief health officer Jeannette Young has warned people in the area to keep doors and windows closed.

"Tyre fires can produce very noxious fumes. These fumes can cause headaches and other symptoms and aggravate conditions like asthma, cardiovascular diseases and others," she said.