Homes have been burnt to the ground on the Atherton Tablelands while many more have been saved by defiant homeowners fighting intense flames with not much more than garden hoses. Meanwhile, authorities have issued new emergency evacuation advice as the fire fronts move into new areas.
On Thursday, firefighters got respite from fast-moving bushfires that have charred huge tracts of bush at Watsonville and Herberton.
As the Herberton fire moved west, new properties at Irvinebank came under threat and a reignited blaze also put property at Innot Hot Springs in danger.
Herbert River Road, Brodie Road, Rienecker Road and Petersen Road at Innot Hot Springs and Jumna Dam and All Nations Mine at Irvinebank have been given leave immediately warnings.
The latest emergency directives followed the evacuation of residents in the path of fires at Watsonville and along Silver Valley Rd on Wednesday.
Hemmed in on three sides by flames, Silver Valley resident Mark Biggs made the call to remain and defend his isolated property on Silver Valley Rd.
With plastic ag pipe linking his house to the dam and water tanks turned liquid by the intense heat, the home handyman got on the end of a garden hose and did the best he could, at first with help from a couple of mates and later with the assistance of the Queensland Rural Fire Service.
“It came close,” he said.
“I’ve been here 12 years and this is the worst I have seen it.
“We didn’t have any water (at the second dwelling) and the tanks were on fire and I’m running around.”
The fire turned a chook pen and shed to ashes, melted lawnmowers, a compressor and tools but was stopped within metres of Mr Biggs’ house.
But others were not so fortunate.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Service Mareeba incident controller Acting Chief Superintendent Paul Durston said despite the best efforts of firefighters, a home on Silver Valley Rd and another on Sandridge Rd at Watsonville were reduced to ashes on Wednesday afternoon.
After an intense day for firefighters battling to save property on Wednesday, Thursday’s tasks in the Watsonville area were pre-emptive controlled burns around houses, creating containment lines using bulldozers and dampening down hotspots.
“We have been out since 8am trying to contain the fire with a bulldozer,” Supt Durston said.
“The priority is structural protection.
“What we do is have crews burn around the house, they will burn back 5-6m and put it out and it gives that extra buffer before the fire hits the house.”
On Thursday afternoon, Tablelands Regional Council reopened fire evacuation centres at the Ravenshoe Community Centre and Mount Garnet Town Hall.
The council previously opened centres at Ravenshoe and Herberton on Wednesday.
“Nobody took advantage of them (on Wednesday) night but council is opening them up (on Thursday) to give people a bit of respite, so they can go and cool their heels,” Supt Durston said.
“And to get support and get a cup of tea and have a chat and regroup and go on for the rest of the day.”
Supt Durston said areas of concern on Thursday were sections along Silver Valley Rd, and the fire heading toward Innot Hot Springs.
“Crews have put in a grader line to give them some protection,” he said
“An auxiliary firefighter got hurt and was transported to Atherton Hospital suffering respiratory difficulties and got treated and was released just after 9pm last night.”
From the Watsonville command centre, QFES incident controller Inspector Nick Bloomfield said the fuel and wind-driven fire was burning on three fronts surrounding Watsonville.
He said following the evacuation order, it had been a challenge to locate and warn people living in semipermanent dwellings scattered throughout difficult to access country.
“One of the biggest concerns was to make sure we did locate those camps and knowing that they were accounted for,” he said.
“As you can appreciate, that takes some time in the heat of the battle.”
In the coming days Insp Bloomfield said rather than a reactionary battle, fire crews could now get on the front foot and apply forward planning.
However until the area was drenched in significant rain, the running battle and further threat of property loss was a concern.
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