Qld bushfires: Race to control blazes before conditions deteriorate
Firefighters have revealed how close a bushfire came to Australia Zoo as authorities race against the clock to bring multiple fires under control. LATEST ALERTS
Emergency Services
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Firefighters are running against the clock to bring multiple fires under control before conditions worsen on Tuesday when scorching temperatures are expected to hit Queensland.
More than 20,000ha of land and 41 homes have been lost in a fire that has been raging for days near Tara, on the Western Downs.
And on Sunday, exhausted residents on the edge of Landsborough, on the Sunshine Coast, were told to evacuate for the second time in as many days as conditions there worsened.
Residents were later allowed to return.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Inspector Ross Stacey said crews had spent the weekend establishing fire breaks around various blazes but they were expecting challenging conditions on Tuesday.
“Tuesday isn’t looking like a good day. With certain conditions we know fires can start rapidly,” he said from Dalby.
“Local crews have been going non-stop, we have interstate crews arriving later in the week and a number of crews from across Queensland out on the ground today.
“We ask people to be mindful of risks in the area, power has been reconnected and a number of trees will come down in coming days, be vigilant of what’s happened around you.”
More than 70 structures – including 41 homes and 25 sheds – have been lost over the past week with dozens of fires burning across the state.
Exhausted locals on the outskirts of Landsborough were given their second direction to “leave immediately” in as many days on Sunday afternoon.
It came after more than 70 firefighters and two water bombing helicopters worked into the night on Saturday to stop the fire from destroying homes.
The blaze broke out around 12.30pm Saturday in forestry outside the town and by 7.30pm, police had declared an emergency under the Public Safety Preservation Act for an area within Steve Irwin Way, Hardwood Rd, Forestry Rd and Dianella Rd.
How close bushfire came to Australia Zoo
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services incident controller Dan Sandeman said while the nearby Australia Zoo was not in the path of the fire, he remained in contact with staff to keep them informed.
“They were safe the whole time,” he said. The fire came within less than a kilometre of the iconic Irwin family zoo.
“I was keeping them informed of where (the fire was) and what’s happening – and if they needed anything, let us know and we would redirect resources if required.”
He said around 75 firefighters from QFES, Rural Fire Service, HQPlantations and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service worked for hours in a “very hot and very smoky” environment to save property and life.
“At the height of it, we had over 40 appliances (trucks) on site,” Mr Sandeman said.
“It came in right behind some of the structures in Landsborough, off White Gums St and Pine Edge Dr, and it came right out to Steve Irwin Way.
“We really want to have this fire contained and made safe by Monday because come Tuesday and the rest of the week, we’re hitting those high temperatures again.”
Fires were still burning around Tara, Wieambilla, Montrose and The Gums in the Western Downs late Saturday, as well as near Miriam Vale in the Gladstone region and outside of Mount Isa.
Firefighters were also battling a blaze in Carnarvon Gorge in the Central Highlands.
Landsborough resident Ben Marshman was coming back from a day trip on Saturday when he saw the smoke billowing from the township.
“I hit the top of the range and saw a lot of smoke and I thought to myself, gee, it looks like Landsborough is on fire,” he said on Sunday morning.
“It got quite smoky and then we started seeing a few flames licking up and thinking we better get a few things together and get out of here, you know, and then we‘ve seen the Watch and Act warning.
“The neighbours were all out in the street, then the fireys and cops came down the street telling us what was going on, which was quite good of them, they did a really good job.
“We’re just basically checking everything out this morning, there is still lots of smoke and everyone is thanking their lucky stars that everyone is okay.”
Landsborough resident Adam Reynolds said his daughter called authorities after spotting the fire on her way home from work.
He added that the weekend “has felt like four days”.
“It’s been pretty scary actually, the forestry is about 10m from the back of our fence line, it came through quite quickly,” he said.
“We had police at out door who advised us to leave, so we got ready and packed up most of our stuff, we didn’t have to leave, but we were ready to.
“There has been planes and helicopters flying over non-stop, it has been a long weekend, it has felt like four days.”
Jackie Opray, another local resident, said she watched the fire burning from her front porch.
“It was really creepy, it looked like Armageddon. The sky was a rusty brown, and especially when it’s dark, you just see this bright red glow,” she said.
“It was very confronting. It’s not something you’d expect as a suburban resident ... that sort of intensity, that quickly, and that close.
“It was just helicopters going non-stop all around and sirens, it was a big night for everybody.”
A fire ban is in place on Monday for the Lockyer Valley, Somerset, Ipswich, Scenic Rim, Logan and the Gold Coast.
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