Ten evacuated, two arrested in Qld bushfire dramas
More than 100 fires are continuing to burn across Queensland, and conditions are only going to get worse with the state preparing for a day of severe fire danger and extreme heat on Sunday.
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PREMIER: Very high fire danger continues, long way to go
SOUTHEAST FIRE BAN: Local fire ban in place for Moreton Bay, Brisbane City and Redland City local government areas
‘PREPARE TO LEAVE’: Ellerbeck (near Cardwell); Captain Creek
‘STAY INFORMED’: Glastonbury; Finch Hatton (including Kowari Gorge); Eungella (including Dalrymple Heights, Broken River, Crediton); Mount Fox; Winfield (as a result of Deepwater fire); Deepwater; Baffle Creek; Rules Beach; Oyster Creek; Rungoo; The Caves; Mount Fox (south west of Ingham); Carmila; Kabra (formerly Stanwell/Kabra); Kowari Gorge bushfire (encompassing the Eungella bushfire); Rungoo; Carruchan (near Cardwell); Ellerbeck (near Cardwell); Warrami (south of Tully); Undullah; North Stradbroke Island; Tinnanbar; Mutchilba (near Atherton); The Caves; Mount Larcom (formerly Ambrose); Round Hill; South of Baffle Creek; Delaneys Creek; Walkamin (formerly Mutchilba); Wamuran
CYCLONE WATCH: Moderate chance of cyclone forming, adding to extreme weather conditions
HEATWAVE conditions are persisting in Queensland, fuelling about 110 fires around the state.
More than 400 interstate reinforcements have joined local fire crews, manning 400 vehicles and 20 aircrafts.
Bureau of Meteorology state manager Bruce Gunn said: “Tomorrow is another day of vigilance required; we are expecting an increase in the fire dangers for especially the southeastern quarter of the state going to Severe fire danger levels and that includes Central Highlands and Coalfields, Darling Downs and Granite Belt, Maranoa and Warrego and inland parts of the south east coast and the Wide Bay area.
Man dies clearing fire break in central Queensland
“This is due to a trough system that’s moving through the state, the increased wind conditions combined with the heat and already dry fuel state means conditions are back into the Severe level.”
Heatwave conditions are continuing across the state, with a scorching day predicted for Sunday and the possibility of dry lightning, which can ignite further fires.
Residents in fire-impacted areas are being warned to not become complacent, and to check their radio or phone regularly for updates from authorities.
Overnight and into this morning, a reprieve in conditions compared to previous days, allowed fire crews to establish new containment lines and mop up around fires burning around the state.
QFES Deputy Commissioner Mike Wassing said despite conditions being slightly better, there was still above average temperatures and increased fire danger.
The two central Queensland fires burning in Deepwater and Eungella are still of serious concern to authorities with residents currently being told to watch and act.
“They are still the two main fires in Central Queensland for us,” he said. “Both in terms of the size and intensity of fire behaviour we are getting and the fact that they continue to impact on small communities in and around that fire.”
A fire burning on north Stradbroke Island is also of concern due to the terrain, though there is no threat to properties.
Mr Wassing said a fire burning at Carnarvon Gorge had authorities on high alert, especially due to the looming threat of dry storms in the region on Sunday.
“We are seeing very severe fire weather in the south west ... combined with dry storms that’s obviously a concern for us where there is then the risk of new fires to start,” he said.
Speaking from Finch Hatton, west of Mackay, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk warned Queenslanders to be on high alert.
“We still have over 100 fires throughout our state and I’d like to make a big plea to all Queenslanders (for) tomorrow,” she said.
“We are going to be facing again an unprecedented heatwave and it’s going to impact right across our state.”
Four homes have been confirmed destroyed in the Deepwater region, though many have been saved across the state due to the efforts of fire crews.
This is incredible vision of the Boeing 737 Gaia dropping 15,000 litres of water near Mackay. The air support assists our ground crews by creating a fire break. @CraigCrawfordMP @QFES_chief @QldFES #qldfires pic.twitter.com/tyOIDnVEnM
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) December 1, 2018
Many sheds and vehicles have also been destroyed.
“But given the relative size and number of properties, it’s (the damage) been very small and we’d like to keep it that way,” Mr Wassing said.
“And what’s most important for us is the protection of life, and acknowledging the tragic circumstances of what’s occurred in the southwest last night, beyond that we are going okay.”
The weather bureau is currently indicating there is no reprieve, or return to “normal conditions” until possibly Wednesday, Mr Wassing said.
In the state’s southeast, as temperatures remain high, there’s a local fire ban across the Brisbane, Moreton Bay and Redland regions.
How the fires unfolded yesterday
Men accused of deliberately lighting fires
OVERNIGHT: Two men have been arrested for starting fires in central Queensland during the most catastrophic bushfire conditions in the state’s history.
And last night, the crisis flared again with 10 people, including children, evacuated in two RACQ CQ rescue helicopter flights from Eungella as a blaze threatened the township an hour west of Mackay and closed the Range Road.
The first group was a man and three young boys including one with asthma.
The chopper then returned for another six people including an infant. All were taken to nearby Finch Hatton.
Another couple, rural firefighters, bravely opted to stay and battle the blaze.
Other locals sought shelter in the community centre as 25 fire appliances and two aircraft fought the fire.
Mackay Regional Mayor Greg Williamson said: “It’s turned into quite a grim situation, there is a fear that we will lose buildings in the area.
“The fire is roaring up to the hill at Eungella which has been a big shock.”
Fire was last night again threatening the Deepwater, Baffles Creek, Rules Beach and Oyster Creek area near Agnes Water.
Overnight, QFES warned residents who had evacuated Deepwater, Baffle Creek and Rules Beach not to return as conditions were too dangerous.
The current warning was for residents to stay informed, roads may be blocked by fallen debris and road conditions were extremely dangerous.
Police were patrolling the area to ensure no one returned.
As at 12.30am an extremely large and unpredictable fire was moving in a southeasterly direction towards Lindy Drive, Emery Road, Fernfield Road and Coast Road. The fire could have a significant impact on the community.
The area will be affected by smoke, which will reduce visibility and air quality.
People have evacuated from Deepwater, Baffle Creek and Rules Beach. The evacuation centre is the Miriam Vale Community Centre at 41 Blomfield Street.
Meanwhile, police will allege two men each deliberately lit blazes in the Rockhampton area this week, despite the precarious weather conditions.
More than 100 fires were burning around the state and there have been repeated warnings of a total fire ban.
Police yesterday arrested a 27-year-old man allegedly lighting a grass fire beside the Burnett Highway at Port Curtis, south of Rockhampton, just one day after 8000 homes were heroically saved from a fast-moving bushfire near Gracemere 15km away.
A 26-year-old man was charged with endangering property by fire, after allegedly setting alight vegetation at Rockhampton on Wednesday.
State disaster co-ordinator deputy commissioner Bob Gee said police treated arson offences very seriously.
“Arson can have devastating consequences, including the potential for loss of life, the destruction of property, livestock and livelihoods.”.
Some 114 wildfires were last night still burning around the state and more than 240 fire crews were battling blazes.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk called on Queenslanders to support affected communities when she launched a fundraising campaign with a $125,000 donation. “We’ve already seen the heartbreaking impact of these bushfires – vast swathes of land stripped and blackened, properties reduced to rubble and hundreds of families forced to evacuate their homes,” she said.
Heatwave conditions are expected to persist into next week, and a sweltering weekend lies ahead. The weather bureau has warned a reprieve is days away, with temperatures 5C-10C above average forecast for many areas.
Meanwhile, Queensland is also on alert for the possibility of a tropical cyclone developing in the Coral Sea.
A tropical low was last night located east-southeast of Papua New Guinea, and was forecast to move in a south-westerly direction while developing further over the coming days.
BoM said there was a low chance of a tropical cyclone in the Eastern Region today but a moderate chance (20-50 per cent likelihood) for tomorrow and Monday.
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