‘Leave immediately’: 73 structure destroyed, hundreds evacuated as 80+ fires rip through Qld
The state’s horror bushfire crisis has ripped through more than 30,000 hectares of land, destroyed 73 structures including 35 homes and forced hundreds to flee to evacuation centres. LATEST UPDATES
Emergency Services
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Queensland’s bushfire crisis continues to escalate, with more than 80 active blazes burning across the state and at least 35 homes lost and 30,000 hectares of land burnt out.
Fast-moving and intense fires forced more residents around Wieambilla and Tara to evacuate at the weekend, with several fires in the area keeping water bomber crews and ground fire fighters run off their feet.
Thirty-five homes are confirmed lost, along with 25 sheds, in the deadly Western Downs bushfire – one of more 84 fires that continue to burn across Queensland.
The blazes are burning as far north as Mareeba all the way to the Western and Darling Downs region.
On Saturday night, fires continued to burn predominantly in Halliford and the Moonie Highway, multiple “do not return” warnings were still current for Tara and Wieambilla.
An emergency warning for The Gums has been upgraded to “leave immediately” as a large, fast moving fire threatens lives near Ravens Rd.
QFES have also issued a leave immediately warning for Colosseum and Mount Tom, near Miriam Vale, as an “out of control fast-moving fire” bushfire burns near Lowmead and Fingerboard Rd.
Speaking to reporters in Dalby on Saturday evening, QFES Inspector Kent Burrows said southwest residents still weren’t in the clear with horror fire conditions expected again on Tuesday.
“All and all a really excellent day from the crews, towards them getting things under control,” Inspector Burrows said.
“Today was an opportunity to get on the front foot and we’ve made some really good planning for Tuesday.”
Senior Sergeant Jeremy Sheldrick said there were 84 active bushfires across Queensland and 73 structures destroyed so far, with the Dalby Evacuation Centre housing 266 people and 42 evacuees at Chinchilla Showgrounds as of Saturday night.
Further north, total fire bans are in place for the Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay and Burnett regions with horror conditions fanning multiple fires across Beerwah, the Mary Valley, Kingaroy and Eidsvold.
West of Gladstone, fires continued to threaten dozens of homes at Lowmead, near Miriam Vale while in the Whitsundays, an Agave farm was among the properties in the firing line as a blaze burned near the Bruce Highway at Gregory River.
A QFES spokesman said crews were still working to bring the fires under control.
“We have aircraft assisting crews on the ground and are still trying to consolidate fire breaks,” he said.
The spokesman said about 30,000ha had been burnt.
BRUCE HIGHWAY CUT AT WHITSUDAYS
The Bruce Highway is blocked in both directions in the Whitsundays as a fire burns between Eden Lassie Road and Rocky Creek.
There are currently 19 crews on scene - a mix of QFES and rural fire service crews, performing structural protection “in an attempt to contain and control the fire”.
A QFES spokeswoman said crews were trying to contain the western side of the Bruce Highway, the eastern side was uncontained.
Crews are using machinery to put in a fire break and there is also backburning occuring on the western side.
A Prepare to Leave warning for Eden Lassie Creek (near Gregory River) was current as of 3pm Saturday.
The warning area includes properties along Gordon Glen Road, Eden Lassie Road, Bridsons Road, and Jochheim Road.
PREMIER SAYS ASSISTANCE IS COMING
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, visiting the Western Downs on Friday, pledged to assist exhausted firefighters with dozens of reinforcements expected to arrive in the coming days from interstate and New Zealand.
The fires ranged from the Western and Darling Downs regions in the state’s south to Mareeba in Far North Queensland and Mount Isa in the west, with multiple emergency warnings issued for residents in the firing line to “leave immediately” on Friday night.
A new fire front emerged near Kingaroy on Friday night, with residents at Shellytop Rd told to leave immediately, while the Bruce Highway was shut in both directions near Mackay due to multiple fires threatening the area.
Tara and Wieambilla – where two lives were lost on fire grounds this week – were still on high alert as a large fire threatening the area remained uncontained and was being fanned by wild winds.
Queensland Fire and Rescue Service Assistant Commissioner Peter Hollier said “strong and gusty conditions” on Friday made firefighting difficult, but conditions were expected to ease at least temporarily over the weekend.
“While we’re experiencing some easing of conditions in the South East … we’re hoping that we can take the opportunity to work on the lines that are established across those larger fires into the coming days, ahead of any potential increase in fire danger that may occur into next week,” he said.
He urged residents to not wait until they saw smoke to fireproof their homes.
“These are large unpredictable fires that are moving incredibly fast, make sure you are prepared and have a plan if a fire threatens your life,” he said.
Ms Palaszczuk said the Western Downs had “been through so much”.
“Our firefighters are exhausted and we will help manage fatigue,” she said.
“Some people have lost everything and some are going through very emotional times. It’s a big credit to what Queenslanders go through and how they can get through just about anything.”
Mitch Kelly lost his home of 27 years in Tara, with the only thing left standing a stone fireplace among the rubble.
The former volunteer firefighter for more than 10 years found out his house was gone when he saw an aerial view of the wreckage on the news.
“It’s not your Gold Coast home or anything, but it’s nice and relaxing. It’s our home,” he said.
“We put a lot into it. The kids have been running around the yard over the years, that’s the reason why we lived out here, just the serenity … kids swimming in the dam, riding motorcycles.”
Mr Kelly’s son, Tom, surveyed the damage of their family home with his dad and siblings, saying the place was particularly special for one reason.
“Lot’s of good memories here. I’ve got an older brother, he passed away in this house.
“I wasn’t expecting this.”
Tom could see the smoke billowing from his workplace, more than 10km away, but didn’t realise the fire had taken the house.
“On the day we could see it all coming … it all started south and we didn’t really think too much of it,” he said.
“The wind was sort of going the other way and then overnight it went up.”
The wife of Alan Dare, who was killed in Queensland’s deadliest police shooting at Wieambilla last year, said on Friday she was forced to evacuate her Wains Rd property.
Kerry Dare told The Courier-Mail that she was evacuated to Tara about 2pm over fears the “Wains Rd fire triangle” could destroy several properties.
“There’s (a fire) at the front of my property, one at the back and one at the side,” she said.
“We thought everything had died down and that the town had been saved … if they save those places (on Wains Rd) it would be a miracle.
“I didn’t want to leave, even if I burned.”
Police Deputy Commissioner Ben Marcus said there were no current missing persons and all evacuees were accounted for but reminded people not to drive into the fire zones unless it was absolutely necessary.
“Now is not the time to go sightseeing, and if you don’t need to travel through areas impacted by fire … please don’t travel through there,” he said.
Opposition Leader David Crisafulli called on Queenslanders to support residents in the Western Downs as they continued to navigate “tragedy after tragedy”.
“That community has really, really been through so much over the last year,” he said in a video, posted to social media.
“Tragedy after tragedy and they are resilient, but boy oh boy are they getting tested at the moment.
“And as a state we have to do all that we can to let everybody in the Western Downs area know that we’ve got their back and that we will be there for them in the weeks, months and years ahead.”
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