Fears dry lightning storms could spark fresh Queensland bushfires

Dry, gusty thunderstorms are forecast to sweep through tinder-dry southeast Queensland today, fanning existing fires and sparking new ones.

The Bureau of Meteorology says the storms, which have a lot of lightning and very little rain, could build up anywhere between the Queensland-NSW border and Kingaroy in the afternoon.

"The balance is going to be on the bad side of the ledger, because there won't be too much rainfall," senior forecaster Jonte Hall told AAP.

"There will be a fair bit of cloud-to-ground lightning which has the potential to start new fires."

Mr Hall said high temperatures and "gusty and erratic winds" would make firefighting conditions volatile before a cold front pushes through late this evening.

More than 40 fires were still burning across the state on Monday.

READ MORE: Queensland and NSW bushfires: Hot and windy conditions set to return

Officials have warned that some could burn for months because the ground is bone-dry and there is no significant rain in sight.

Authorities have focused their recent efforts on strengthening containment lines around blazes across the state.

READ MORE: Urgent bushfire warning review after residents caught unprepared

The Sarabah fire remains of the most concern to authorities because it is burning in valleys within the Scenic Rim that are hard to access.

That fire has destroyed 11 homes and significantly damaged the historic Binna Burra mountain lodge.

Police are investigating whether it was lit deliberately.