Residents evacuate as bushfire flares up

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has warned residents of two small central Queensland communities to “leave now” as an intense fire with 10-metre high flames continues to burn out of control.

PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk has warned residents of two small central Queensland coast communities to “leave now” as an intense fire with 10-metre high flames continues to burn out of control.

Police have declared an emergency situation as the “dangerous and unpredictable” bushfire continues to move towards Deepwater and Baffle Creek, north of Bundaberg.

Police have extended the exclusion zone in Deepwater due to the ongoing bushfire threat.

It now includes areas within Deepwater Drive and Deepwater Rd, Matchbox Rd intersections including Matchbox Rd and Capricornia Drive, Seabreeze Rd, and has now been extended from the mouth of Baffle Creek to the junction of Oyster Creek, along Oyster Creek to Maude Hill Rd.

LATEST FIRE UPDATES: Hundreds evacuated, schools close

Residents were advised to evacuate. Picture: Leslie Cullen

Speaking this afternoon Ms Palaszczuk warned residents of the communities to use what was left of the daylight and leave their properties.

“The intensity of this fire covers some 9000 hectares and the flames are more than 10 to 12 metres high,” she said.

“This is unusual, extremely unusual for Queensland and the worst is not over. We expect this to be happening for a few more days but it is very important that all residents take this issue extremely seriously.

“I urge all families to look after one another and please evacuate immediately.”

QFES Commissioner Katarina Carroll said there were 600 people in the Deepwater Creek community, as well as an additional 200 from nearby Baffle Creek.

Local Police, QFES personnel on the ground with the help of council workers have been door knocking residents since midmorning.

Ms Carroll said there were 33 trucks on scene, another 9 going to the area, 6 aircraft assisting as well as at least 100 staff on the ground.

“This really is a very unusual fire,” she said. “We have not seen this in this part of the world before.

“This will not subside in the next hour or two, the northerly winds will continue at approximately 40km and hour well into the night.

“So please do not be complacent, listen to the authorities and work with us and we will all get out of this safely.”

Predictive services unit at Queensland Fire and Emergency Services manager Andrew Sturgess said usually after sunset, the fire intensity would subside, but that would not be the case tonight.

An evacuation centre has been established at Miriam Vale Community Centre on Blomfield Street.

The bushfire has been described by firefighters as “fast moving and uncontrolled” and is one of several blazes burning across the state.

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services have told residents to leave now, as conditions have worsened.

They have begun urging residents of Deepwater and Wartburg to evacuate as a fire continues to threaten homes in the Central Queensland region.

#Update - QAS and emergency services crews are expected to remain at the #Deepwater location for some time. Four ambulance units are on scene including the region ESU. pic.twitter.com/EU1Wru5XfY

— Queensland Ambulance (@QldAmbulance) November 25, 2018

QFES has also warned evacuees not to return to the area until they are given the all clear.

Earlier

Police declared the emergency situation, under the Public Safety Preservation Act, about 1.45pm.

It includes areas within Deepwater Drive and Deepwater Road, Deepwater Road and Matchbox Road intersections including Matchbox Road and Capricornia Drive, Capricornia Drive and Seabreeze Road.

Deepwater residents are being asked to evacuate the area via Fingerboard Road towards Miriam Vale, if not already.

QFES re-issued a “watch and act” warning about 2.50pm today for Deepwater, near Agnes Water, with firefighters warning residents to leave now as “conditions are getting worse”. They described the blaze as “dangerous and unpredictable fire”.

Police have declared an emergency situation in Deepwater this afternoon in relation to an ongoing bushfire threat. @QldFES https://t.co/J2QugUhjct pic.twitter.com/5t8lfhLtDW

— Queensland Police (@QldPolice) November 25, 2018

Evacuation centres were being established at Miriam Vale, with police also on the scene assisting with the evacuation.

“Follow your bushfire survival plan now. If you do not have a plan, your safest option is to leave now if it is clear to do so,” the warning said.

“If you are not in the area, do not return, as conditions are too dangerous.”

A Queensland Police Service spokesman said police crews were on scene and assisting fire authorities with the emergency.

“Most people if they’re not staying and fighting, they’re being evacuated to the Miriam Vale Evacuation Centre,” the spokesman said.

He said that crews from Rockhampton, Gladstone and Tannum Sands had been called in to help with the emergency.

The Deepwater blaze as seen from the air. Picture: Queensland Fire and Emergency Services/Twitter

Firefighters said the blaze was travelling in a south southwest direction towards Deepwater and as at 2.50pm was “impacting the Deepwater community now”.

“The fire could have a significant IMPACT on the community,” the alert said.

“All Deepwater residents should evacuate the township in a westerly direction towards Miriam Vale using Fingerboard Road.

For those in the Deepwater area, police officers are also assisting with evacuations https://t.co/2iqhFgdDjC

— Queensland Police (@QldPolice) November 25, 2018

“Fire crews are working to contain the fire but firefighters may not be able to protect every property. You should not expect a firefighter at your door. Power, water, and mobile phone service may be lost.”

It comes after the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services reinstated an earlier warning for local residents to prepare to leave their homes as a bushfire at Round Hill, near Deepwater, could spread quickly.

C&M Water Cartage’s Leslie Cullen arrived on scene to start topping up firies’ water supplies. Picture: Leslie Cullen

At 2.30pm the “unpredictable” fire was travelling from the Deepwater National Park in a north-easterly direction towards Bousgas Drive, Springs Road and Anderson Way, which includes the Sunrise estate.

“The fire is likely to impact this area,” the “watch and act” warning said.

Firefighters at the scene of the Deepwater blaze. Picture: Leslie Cullen

“You need to be ready to follow your bushfire survival plan. If you do not have a plan, or intend to leave, you should be ready to leave the area because the situation could get worse quickly.

“Fire crews are working to contain the fire but firefighters may not be able to protect every property. You should not expect a firefighter at your door.”

The situation at Round Hill, near Agnes Waters, had worsened this morning after the QFES downgraded the fires overnight, with a 12.35am warning at “advisory”. Residents had yesterday also been told to prepare to leave.

Southeast fire continues after hikers earlier warned to leave

A fire south of Brisbane near Undullah, near Ipswich, has been downgraded to a “stay informed” level. The fire yesterday prompted an emergency evacuation alert for hikers in nearby the Flinders Peak Conservation Park.

Firefighters conducted backburning operations in the area overnight and while the fire is contained, at about 11.45am today the QFES said residents should keep up to date and decide what actions to take if the situation changes.

A bushfire burning in Beaudesert yesterday.

It was burning in inaccessible country to the east of Mt Elliot Rd at 11.45am. Fire crews were monitoring and patrolling the area today.

Fire authorities have also renewed their advisory for a bushfire burning in Delaneys Creek.

QFES said that as of 3.05pm, the blaze was moving southeasterly near Travers Ct and Mervyn Cavanagh St toward Mount Mee Rd.

QFES were on the scene and working to control the blaze.

The advice warning level recommends that people within the area of the bushfire at Delaneys Creek should “keep up to date and decide what actions you will take if the situation changes,” the QFES media statement said.

The fire broke out yesterday and the QFES today issued an updated “advice” warning at 11.50am, telling residents to stay informed.

“You need to keep up to date and decide what actions you will take if the situation changes” the warning said.

“Fire crews are working to contain the blaze. People in the area will be affected by smoke, which will reduce visibility and air quality.”

At 11.50am the fire was travelling in a southeasterly direction near Travers Ct and Mervyn Cavanagh Ct, towards Mount Mee Rd.

Also in the southeast, crews remain at a grass fire at Coolooabin, near Yandina near the Sunshine Coast.

The QFES issued an “advice” warning at 1.10pm, saying fire crews were “now blackening out and there is no threat to property at this time” but said residents should keep up to date with conditions and decide what actions to take if the situation changes.

At 12.35pm the fire was burning in a southeasterly direction near Shrapnel Rd and Cooloolabin Rd.

Multiple crews are on scene working to contain the blaze. People in the area will be affected by smoke, which will reduce visibility and air quality,” the warning said.

Residents of Mount Urah, between Gympie and Maryborough, were also re-issued an “advice” warning at about 2.45pm, after the fire changed direction.

The QFES said multiple crews were working to extinguish a grass fire burning in a southeasterly direction near Emerys Bridge Road and Ramseys Road, and that residents should stay informed of conditions.

In Sheldon, south of Brisbane, a large grassfire yesterday destroyed a shed and two caravans.

More than 10 fire crews were needed to bring the blaze under control. The fire was still burning within containment lines this morning, as Sheldon residents were warned to expect a smoke haze throughout the day and to close windows and doors.

A QFES spokeswoman this morning said the fire was burning in the area of Duncan Rd, Winston Rd and Mt Cotton Rd, but that no properties were under immediate threat. By 2.15pm fire crews were no longer needed at the Sheldon blaze.

Residents in Beaudesert are being told to stay alert as fire crews work to contain a large bushfire.

Conditions around Queensland were expected to be even worse today than yesterday, with temperatures 10 degrees above average expected for central and northern parts of the state.

Combined with hot westerly winds and low humidity, much of the state was like a tinderbox, fire authorities said.

Residents in rural areas have been urged to take the usual precautions, including avoiding using machinery and power tools if possible, and to call Triple-0 immediately if they spot a fire.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO:

• Listen to your local radio station or visit the Rural Fire Service (RFS) website for regular updates.

• If you have a bushfire survival plan, finalise it now so you are ready to follow it.

• If you do not have a bushfire survival plan, or if your plan is to leave, identify where you will go if you leave the area.

• Advise family and friends of your plan.

• Close windows and doors to minimise smoke exposure.

• If you suffer from a respiratory condition, keep your medication close by.

• Drive with caution in low visibility conditions.

• Contact your neighbours to see if they need help preparing for the bushfire.

• Pack important documents and essential items (e.g., passports, birth certificates, prescription medication, food and water, and protective clothing) in case you need to leave the area.

• Put on protective clothing (e.g., a long-sleeved cotton shirt, boots with thick soles).

• Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

• Bring pets inside; restrain them with a leash, a cage, or inside a secure room; and provide them with plenty of water.

• Take action to protect your livestock.

• Move flammable materials such as doormats, wheelie bins, and outdoor furniture away from your house.

• Fill containers such as your bath, sinks, and buckets with water so you have access to drinking water and firefighting water.

• Close windows and doors, sealing the gaps under doors and screens with wet towels to keep smoke out of the house.