Appliances from the Kingston, Frankton and Queenstown fire brigades, the Department of Conservation and Rural Fire, and three helicopters were called out between 6.20pm and 8.30pm to extinguish one large and two smaller scrub fires burning alongside State Highway 6, about 15 minutes south of Frankton.
A Doc spokesman said the largest fire, just south of Wye Creek, covered an area about 600m long and 200m wide on the lake side of the road.
Three helicopters were called in to assist firefighters battling the blaze, which took about two hours to put out. QLDC principal rural fire officer Gordon Bailey said ground crews were still extinguishing hot spots at 9.30pm.
It was not yet confirmed if embers from the traction engines had sparked the fires. Firefighters would investigate the cause this morning, he said.
A Fire Service spokesman said an Arrowtown fire appliance was called in to cover Frankton while firefighters attended the grass fires.
A Frankton-based appliance escorted the traction engines to Frankton, arriving just after 10pm. A Doc worker remained at the scene of the larger fire overnight.
It was unclear who owned the engines or their destination.
Soon after returning to Queenstown station, fire fighters were called to a small fire in the engine compartment of a tourist bus parked at the Skyline Gondola car park in Brecon St, Queenstown.
