Southwest Queensland revealed as one of the regions most at risk this bushfire season

Queensland Fire and Emergency have revealed the regions most at risk this bushfire season and the southwest of the state is in the firing line, with experts saying residents should prepare for harsh grass fire blazes. See what residents can expect.

The top regions that are predicted to be in the firing line this bushfire season has been revealed by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, and towns in the southwest should prepare for the worst.

One of the top firefighters identified 38 regions that are at high risk of bushfires this year and warned: “It could go from zero to 100 in less than an hour”.

Of the 38 regions, southwest Queensland locations including Toowoomba, Western Downs, Southern Downs, Goondiwindi, Maranoa and Balonne LGAs have been revealed at high-risk due to an early harvest season.

The King’s Birthday public holiday kicked off what’s expected to be a brutal fire season with a high chance of grass fires being predicted by South Western Regional assistant commissioner Jason Lawler.

A large grass fire was threatening homes on the eastern side of Dalby, near the intersection of the Warrego Highway and Dalby-Cecil Plains Road.

More than 15 crews responded to a fire near Bell on October 2 at the same time emergency services were battling a blaze that threatened homes in Dalby.

The Dalby blaze started off as a grass fire and destroyed a high-voltage power pole near the intersection of the Warrego Highway and Dalby-Cecil Plains Rd with many nearby residents warned to prepare to evacuate their houses.

Grass fires are an event that Mr Lawler says residents should expect more of this bushfire season and prepare as much as possible for.

Fire on Dalby-Cecil Plains Rd took down a power pole on the King's Birthday. picture: contributed

“That example along with many others we’ve already experienced this season, one spark in the right conditions will cause a fast spreading grassfire,” he said.

“Fires will start and accelerate really quickly in those conditions particularly with high winds, and when the humidity has been high. It’s the perfect condition for fires to start and run quickly especially in grassland.”

Mr Lawler said with an early harvest season in the southwest, landowners should be prepared to manage small firebreaks within their boundaries and be careful of machinery being used.

“It’s about using mechanical means with extreme caution to ensure that any mechanical means of slashing, or other ways of cleaning the ground within their boundaries is done with machinery that’s fit for purpose and is functional and serviceable so we don’t unintentionally cause a fire through sparks or heat sources,” he said.

QFES aircrews captured this photos of a bushfire burning at Deepwater on Sunday where several properties were evacuated and some roads closed.

Sugarloaf Rural Fire Brigade first officer James Massey said three of the recent fires in the southern downs region were caused from slashing and that relevant fires occur when stones collide with blades causing them to ignite from friction and spark the surrounding grass.

He said when creating a bushfire survival plan it was important for residents to establish a location to meet that is far from the fire.

“Somewhere like a letterbox is a good example because they tend to be close to the road and far enough away from the house,” he said.

He also suggested that keeping a fire extinguisher near the bedside table would not only help extinguish flames but clear a pathway through the house and break through a pane of glass.

Information on fire bans and updates on condition can be accessed via the QGES website.