DRONE FOOTAGE: A month after the ravaging fires

As the grass starts to shoot and the landscape turns green, it's hard to believe it has only been a month since fires ravaged central Queensland.

Fire at The Caves.

AS THE grass starts to shoot and the landscape turns green, it's hard to believe it has only been a month since fires ravaged either side of Rockhampton.

On November 28, the town of Gracemere was evacuated as a fire at Stanwell loomed uncontrollably and over the other side of Rockhampton, many homes at The Caves were under threat.

 

Fire at The Caves.

 

Now a month on, second officer at The Caves Rural Fire Brigade, Josh Whitcombe, says things are starting to return to normal.

"Everything is fine ... everyone has recovered.. We are now just going along, doing briefing and working out what we can do better next time," he said.

"Just the normal recovering, putting in insurance claims, trying to get life back to normal."

 

Containment lines are being looked at and they are strengthening those that worked well.

"So they are ready to go if the event happens again," Mr Whitcombe said.

 

The Caves area a month after the fires.

As a whole, there were two sheds and a lot of pastoral land lost in the November fire.

A lot of land at the Mt Etna National Park was also lost, including a large section of soft vine scrub, which they were trying to grow to be a natural fire break.

READ HERE: Behind the scenes of The Caves Rural Fire Brigade

And while those fires may have ended, there is still a long way to go before the summer season is over.

On Friday last week the crew was back out on the land fighting another fire at Marlborough.

 

 

The Caves area a month after the fires.

"It doesn't stop too much for us... but that was nothing as fierce last month," Mr Whitcombe said.

The rural firey is anticipating a high fire danger this season.

"The rain we had was good but it is still dry in a lot of places," he said.

"Everyone needs to be vigilant, even though it is a bit green, it will still burn."