Safety talks to offer fire tips

Bundaberg resident Ken Tyson helps repair damaged fence lines on a friend's property after the Gaeta fires last year.

All through the Gaeta region cattle wandered aimlessly looking for food after bushfires last year destroyed what little was left. Picture: File

Bundaberg resident Ken Tyson helps repair damaged fence lines on a friend’s property after the Gaeta fires last year.

GIN GIN residents are being encouraged to participate in a public meeting on Wednesday to formulate an action plan for the next fire season.

Queensland Fire and Rescue Service North Coast regional manager of rural operations Superintendent Peter Hollier is calling all land owners and community members who have an interest in the management of fire to go along and voice their ideas and concerns.

“The meeting is basically a follow-up to the last fire season, which was one of the largest ones on record in the region,” he said.

“We had a substantial amount of fires in the Gin Gin, Gaeta and Monduran areas.”

Supt Hollier said the meeting would allow residents and fire services to discuss the previous season.

“We can look at what went wrong and what we did well,” he said.

“That way we can work out a plan that will suit everyone.”

Supt Hollier said the coming fire season had the potential to be just as dangerous as the previous.

“If we have a long dry winter again we could have a very active season, especially with all of the regrowth from the rain,” he said.

Supt Hollier hopes many people will attend.

“If we don’t have a strategy for reducing the fuel loads, the fires will be uncontrollable,” he said.

“There are several ways people can reduce the loads including hazard reduction burning, getting grazing animals, slashing and chemical treatments.”

The meeting will be held at the Gin Gin Youth Centre, 8 Station Street, Gin Gin, on Wednesday from 7pm.

Originally published as Safety talks to offer fire tips