Strike team helps contain Burnett fires

A strike team of 16 New South Wales firefighters were called in to help fight fires in the North Burnett.

TEAM EFFORT: A strike team of 16 New South Wales firefighters were called into the North Burnett.

A FIRE that broke out last Wednesday afternoon at Mundubbera-Durong Rd near Mundubbera spread across 1800 hectares, with 32 firefighters working late into the night, and from early Thursday morning to contain the blaze.

Area Commander for the North Burnett Kent Freeman said that the fire was contained in the early hours of last Thursday and there's no further immediate threat.

"We have no idea what caused the fire, it started along the roadside so it's anybody's guess,” Mr Freeman said.

"The wind would have got behind it and caused it to spread, so it was going pretty well in the early stages.”

The fire burnt slowly overnight with the winds dropping away and the temperatures decreasing.

No damage was reported from the fire.

The magnitude of the fire contributed to a strike team of 16 New South Wales firefighters being tasked to the region on Thursday however crews were no longer required at the scene.

Mr Freeman said it was important to have interstate support available when fire danger is severe.

"We deployed the NSW strike team to a fire on a property at Boubyjan before they departed and went to Deepwater on Thursday,” Mr Freeman said.

"With those severe weather conditions - winds, low humidity high temperatures- if we get multiple locations of fires we can be really strapped.

"Because those conditions were extreme and unprecedented we had national assistance to jump on fires quickly, before they got out of control.”

Two water bombers working out of Gayndah Airport helped to fight another fire at Kalpowar over the weekend.

Between them they dropped 18,000 litres of foam solution.

Water bombers preparing for take-off at Gayndah airport for the Kalpower fires in December, 2018.

Mr Freeman hoped Tuesday's rain would reduce the number of fires throughout the region.

"That rain was definitely welcomed. Depending on where we get rain and how much of it, it can really help us out a lot,” he said.

"We're hoping to get a lot of rain on the coast which will significantly reduce the fire risk and drop the fire rating down.”

If you see a fire report it by calling 000.