Homes, land, cattle destroyed in multiple blazes across Burnett
Homes have been destroyed, six cattle have died and 200 are missing following devastating fires in Bundaberg and Burnett regions. Read the latest.
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Two homes have been destroyed, six cattle are dead and a further 200 are missing as multiple fires, including one suspected to be deliberately lit, wreak havoc across the region.
About 100 residents have been evacuated and a school has been shut down as firefighters continue to battle an out of control “firestorm” blaze at Goodwood - suspected to have been deliberately lit.
As of Wednesday residents were told it was still not safe to return to homes at Goodwood and Kinkuna.
The North Burnett is also continuing to battle the fallout from a fire at Mundubbera, with six cattle dead and 200 missing.
An avoid smoke warning has been issued for those in Mundubbera, Gayndah, Coalstoun Lakes and Biggenden.
Goodwood fire ‘deliberately lit’
Bundaberg Disaster Management Group chair and patrol inspector Grant Marcus confirmed the ongoing Goodwood blaze was being treated as suspicious.
As a police investigation is underway, Mr Marcus shared a clear message to anyone thinking of lighting fires.
“There was a total fire ban in place, so it should not have been lit,” he said.
Mr Marcus said crews were confident the fires at North Burnett started by lightning strikes.
The Goodwood fire, which started on Saturday morning, was out of control on Tuesday, October 31 when it jumped containment lines.
“It was quite fierce at stages, you could say that it was a firestorm at one point,” Mr Marcus said.
The blaze has destroyed two homes, a shed and farming machinery, with 20 properties and 100 people excavated, including Goodwood State School, with more damage to be assessed.
“When it is safe to do so, fire services will go in and do an assessment and they may identify that there are other properties that have been damaged that we’re not aware of,” Inspector Marcus said.
Ongoing efforts
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services inspector Trevor Duncan said the Goodwood blaze was not officially contained, with reports of in “excess of 1000 hectares” damaged.
“We won’t call the fire contained at this point, we do have containment lines and they do seem to be effective at this point in time,” Mr Duncan said.
“However, we do have a couple of spot fires happening between the eastern flank of the fire at Goodwood and the rail corridor.”
Ground and air support are standing by to control any breakouts, though weather conditions are expected to play a role in the pressure put on emergency services in the coming hours.
“We will be looking at it with keen interest this afternoon as we get a change in wind, that wind is expected to go somewhere between 30 and 40 kilometres an hour,” Mr Duncan said.
Predicted thunderstorms are expected to propose a risk if dry storms hit the region, though rain could bring relief for emergency services.
While the fires across the North Burnett are reportedly contained, more than 36,000 hectares of land has been reportedly impacted.
Community Advice
Bundaberg Regional Council Mayor Jack Dempsey encouraged residents with respiratory issues to consult with their doctors, with wind carrying smoke across the region.
The council opened a community refuge centre in Isis, although it was believed that those evacuated from Goodwood sought alternative accommodation.
Bundaberg MP Tom Smith said the relevant state departments were working closely to ensure cattle are tracked down, and students are not missing out on educational opportunities.
The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries is working with drones and land holders to track down 200 missing cattle in the North Burnett, with hopes the stock have survived.
The Department of Education is seeking alternative teaching options for Goodwood State School,with the potential for students to attend a nearby school until the evacuation is lifted.
Residents are reminded to:
– Monitor their local councils disaster dashboard: Bundaberg, North Burnett.
– Pay attention to local news, emergency broadcasts and keep up with bushfire warnings.
– Support locals who are evacuating.
– Motorists are encouraged to monitor the Department of Transport’s road closure website.
– Be patient with emergency services are fires are contained and schools and roads are reopened.
– Avoid lighting fires at all costs, or seek a free permit from fire services.
– Respect fire bans which are expected to continue for some time.
– Support and encourage emergency services.
- Impacted residents are encouraged to reach out to support services, their local council and emergency crews if they are impacted and require financial, health or mental support.
For further guidance on preparing for evacuation or fires please see our free article.
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