Monday blaze too close to home for volunteer firey

Keighley Mitchell joined his Rural Fire Service brigade in fighting bush fires up Corey’s Lane on Monday while his wife stood at their carport down the road with a hose

Volunteer firefighter Keighley Mitchell fought back the blaze on Leydens Hill Monday, just metres from his own home.

Keighley Mitchell was taking a break at O'Shannessy Park in Gracemere when he saw the first fire truck go screaming by on Monday.

As a member of the Rural Fire Service, he grew instantly curious and then a message from his first officer came up on his phone.

"It didn't occur to me it was as close to home as it turned out to be," he said.

"I came up the Razorback and it was only as I reached the final bend towards home, I realised it was my hill on fire."

 

Three days after the bush fire swept through Leydens Hill near Mt Morgan, the fallen timber still smoulders

 

"My wife met me at the door and said, "I guess you're going to fight fires?""

The Mitchells were building their Leydens Hill Rd home in 2009 when the "big ones" came through.

The fibro, steel and concrete structure is designed to be fire resistant.

"These latest fires were nothing compared to the big fires 10 years ago," Mr Mitchell said.

"The potential was there - the temperature and the wind - but we were lucky we had the crew to prevent it from coming too far this way."

As the first officer 'Kevvy' hiked his crew up the hill, 'Jimmy' got out a grader and pushed a break below the fire line.

The fireys managed to keep it from reaching homes around the area, as police advised residents in Struck Oil to prepare to leave.

 

Fire fighters stopped the Leydens Hill fire on Monday right up against property fences

 

"There were wallabies and turkeys hoofing past us," Mr Mitchell said.

"I don't mind telling you, I'm not getting any younger; after walking those hills, I was glad to have the next day off."

Reports from the public continued to come in up until Wednesday night as spot fires continued to burn along the Burnett Highway.

"Someone coming across smouldering logs in the dark wouldn't realise those areas have already burned out," Mr Mitchell said.

"But before the next big ones come along, we've got to be allowed to do more controlled burning along the road edges and on the council land that runs down here to Queen of the Valley Road.

"My neighbours are all really good about keeping their properties clean and their grass low, but there's 105 hectares there that could go up with just one spark."