Firefighters battle fires in Tablelands, Cooktown, some deliberately lit

A Far North Queensland-based firefighter has warned many homes are not prepared for fire-season as crews contain fires claimed to be deliberately lit.

Savannah District Rural Fire Service have been fighting fires across the Far North in areas such as Mount Garnet, Innot Hot Springs, Cooktown and Mount Carbine. Photo: Supplied.

A Far North Queensland-based firefighter has warned many homes are not prepared for fire-season as crews contain fires claimed to be deliberately lit.

On Thursday, Savannah District Rural Fire Service Superintendent Shane Hopton said a fire at Mount Garnet, 160km south of Cairns, was still alight but burning within containment lines, and crews would monitor it to ensure the fire stayed within the constructed breaks.

It comes after a busy few days for fire crews, including on Wednesday when the Mount Garnet fire was moving northwest and multiple fire and rescue crews were working to contain the fire, in conjunction with water bombing aircraft and heavy machinery.

SDRFS assistant chief officer Clint Tunnie said crews had been fighting multiple fire fronts in the Tablelands and Cooktown throughout the week. Photo: Supplied.

The containment of the Mount Garnet fire comes after reports of a fire front near Innot Hot Springs on Tuesday which was accidentally sparked by a landowner, and was no longer active, in an update provided on Thursday.

“Also on top of that we had a fire at Black Mountain near Cooktown on Tuesday we believe was deliberately lit so we are investigating that,” Assistant Chief Officer for the Savannah District Rural Fire Service Clint Tunnie said.
“Parks and Wildlife and Cook Shire Council worked to contain it and it’s now contained (on Wednesday).”

Mr Tunnie said he was disappointed to see so many properties unprepared for the upcoming bushfire season.

“The thing that we found over the course of the last few days is we have come across lots of properties that are not bushfire prepared and we have found a lot of homes that are indefensible and we were lucky to save those homes,” he said.

“Indefensible means that they have grass to go unattended and grass growing up in around cars so when we have a fast moving fire we cant pull the fire up and get brakes in.

“It means there are no breaks to draw a line in the sand and it doesn’t give us the ability to put ourselves between the fire and structure.

Savannah District Rural Fire Service have been fighting fires across the Far North in areas such as Mount Garnet, Innot Hot Springs, Cooktown and Mount Carbine. Photo: Supplied.

“We are going to have a daily hectic wildfire season this year and it’s important that people are prepared.”

Mr Tunnie said it was also disappointing to learn fires had been deliberately lit in recent days.

“(Tuesday) afternoon on the Mulligan Highway near Mount Carbine, we had two deliberately lit fires that are being contained and we have (on Wednesday) had a fire kick off in Hope Vale and we have aircraft going to that one,” he said.

Fire investigation crews will work to determine if fires around the region have been deliberately lit. Photo: Supplied.

“We have an incident control centre set up at the Mareeba Fire Station staffed by local Fire and Rescue crews and police.

“It’s insane for us at the moment.”

Mr Tunnie said the SDRFS was working closely with Queensland Police in managing and investigating the cause of the fires.

“Specialist teams have been sent from Townsville to investigate,” he said.

“It’s causing us all sorts of grief.”

Mr Hopton on Thursday said all the fires at Rossville, Black Mountain, Hopevale and Mount Carbine “were burning within containment lines” with Rural Fire Service crews monitoring each incident.

Originally published as Firefighters battle fires in Tablelands, Cooktown, some deliberately lit