Multiple communities remain under threat as fires burn across Queensland
The Queensland bushfires are the worst recorded in 130 years, with the disaster being labelled an ‘historic event’ as Gold Coast hinterland residents were again warned to seek shelter.
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Binna Burra residents have been warned to seek shelter on Sunday night, with firefighters no longer able to control a fire burning out of control both sides of Binna Burra Rd.
At 8.50pm Sunday, a dangerous fire was burning on both sides of Binna Burra Rd, south of Summerville Rd. It was travelling in an easterly direction. The fire was expected to have a life-threatening impact on the community.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services said it was now too late to leave the area, with driving conditions extremely dangerous.
Queensland is facing its worst bushfire threat “in recorded history”, with dry conditions and little chance of rainfall over the next four months.
With 57 fires still burning across the state and that number expected to rise Sunday afternoon, Fire Inspector Andrew Sturgess has delivered an ominous prediction to authorities, including acting Premier Jackie Trad, at a meeting of the Queensland Disaster Management Committee on Sunday.
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Inspector Sturgess said at no time in Queensland’s history had conditions for bushfires been so catastrophic.
“It is an historic event,” he told reporters after.
“We’ve never seen fire danger indices, fire danger ratings, at this time of the year, as we’re seeing now. Never seen this before in recorded history.
“Fire weather has never been as severe this early in spring.”
He said the impacts were also much worse.
Authorities have confirmed that at least 15 homes, plus the historic Binna Burra Lodge, have been destroyed in the past few days, but there may be several more.
That compared to just 40 homes lost across the entire state to bushfires in the past 130 years.
Inspector Sturgess said there was little chance of any rain in the next several days, weeks, or even into the months ahead towards Christmas.
“The likelihood of seeing average rainfall is low and we need well above average rainfall to turn this trend around,” he said.
“So this is an omen if you will, a warning of the fire season that we’re likely to see ahead in the south-eastern parts of the state.”
Meanwhile, Acting Fire Commissioner Mike Wassing said very dry conditions and very dry westerly winds were now extended into central Queensland and parts right up to Townsville and Cairns.
He said there was still a lot of work to be done on the Stanthorpe/Applethorpe fire but it was not likely to threaten any further homes today.
The Binna Burra fire was still proving difficult, burning in very remote areas, but was also not expected to threaten any communities.
“The challenges for us will extend at least until Wednesday whilst we continue to have this dry westerly air mass … and it’s going to be a very long season for us ahead,” he said.
Acting Premier Jackie Trad said some schools would be closed on Monday, with a list to be issued later on Sunday.
WEATHER WORKING AGAINST US
Bureau of Meteorology spokesman Harry Clark said Sunday and Monday will be very windy and dry across the high-risk regions.
“The main thing is going to be the winds, with winds getting up to 40 km/k along the Granite Belt and around 35km/h in the Gold Coast Hinterland,” he said.
“That’s going to make it challenging for firefighters. So, there is still very high fire danger in those two areas for today and tomorrow.”
Mr Clark said conditions are also set to remain very dry across the state,
“It’s still quite dry, with the relative humidity around 10-20%,” he said.
“With the wind and the dryness, it’s not a great combination still.”
WHAT AUTHORITIES WANT YOU TO KNOW
At least 20 structures have been lost since Friday — 10 in Sarabah and seven in Stanthorpe — with one family flown to safety by helicopter after becoming trapped on their hinterland property.
Many communities were evacuated, with residents forced to flee to safety in the middle of the night to community centres where they slept in caravans and tents.
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“The thing I need to talk to you about is this fire is still an ongoing concern,” Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Assistant Commissioner Megan Stiffler told a community meeting at Stanthorpe late yesterday.
“We will not have this fire under control until Monday. We have days ahead of us and lots of hard work to do through the night to secure all edges of this fire.
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“I need the community to be aware there are people within this community who have lost their home and we can’t say how many at this time.”
At another community meeting, in the Gold Coast hinterland, QFES Assistant Commissioner Kevin Walsh said he had never seen anything like the fire front that tore through communities like Sarabah and Beechmont.
“The conditions they faced last night were ferocious,” he said.
“They stood shoulder to shoulder on the front line.
“I’ve never seen anything as bad as that.”
Scenic Rim Mayor Greg Christensen praised the legions of firefighters — many of them volunteers — who took on the fires that threatened to engulf Beechmont on Friday night.
“As a rural firey myself, to see them standing against a wall of floating fire as embers came at them constantly on the wind, they did an amazing job,” he said.
Locals told of waking in the middle of the night to police banging on their door, while others described a “pink glow” that turned to a life-threatening raging inferno in a matter of minutes.
Around 20 fire appliances from metropolitan and regional fire stations fought fires alongside countless volunteers, helped by three aerial bombers and a reconnaissance plane.
A man in his 20s was taken to hospital after he collapsed while helping to fight a fire in the Clagiraba region in the Gold Coast hinterland.
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He was treated for smoke inhalation, exhaustion and an injury to his jaw.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was yesterday briefed by emergency service officials about the disaster before she left the country last night on an Olympics bid mission.
She urged locals in affected areas to listen to the warnings and follow the directions of emergency services.
“We have a number of families at the moment that are actually going through some really traumatic times,” she said.
“I know that our community will pull together and definitely make sure they get back on their feet.”
CURRENT ALERTS
PREPARE TO LEAVE: Peachester
A fast-moving fire is travelling in a north-easterly direction from an area near Morrisons Rd and Sunbury Drv towards Macdonalds Rd and Storrs Rd. The fire is likely to impact Macdonalds Rd and Storrs Rd.
STAY INFORMED: Applethorpe / Stanthorpe
A bushfire is burning within containment lines in the Stanthorpe and Applethorpe area.
Firefighters continue to strengthen containment lines with efforts focused on Ellwood Road, Kelly Road, Allen Lane and into the Broadwater State Forest.
STAY INFORMED: Binna Burra
A bushfire is burning on both sides of Binna Burra Road, south of Summerville Road, travelling in an easterly direction towards Numinbah Valley.
Binna Burra Road remains closed.
Due to evacuations, the area remains closed to the public. Residents are advised not to return to the area as it is too dangerous to do so and inaccessible.
STAY INFORMED: Irvinebank
QFES crews are on scene at a fire burning in the vicinity of Herberton-Petford Rd, Poison Creek (Mt Albion Station), Irvinebank. There is no threat to property at this time. Ground and aerial firefighting activities will be undertaken today.
STAY INFORMED: Dimbulah
A bushfire is burning in the vicinity of Hanley Rd and Veness Rd, Dimbulah. Ground and aerial firefighting activities will be undertaken today. There is no threat to property at this time.
STAY INFORMED: River Ranch (near Calliope)
Crews are on scene at a bushfire burning near Aquarius Ave, in the vicinity of the Old Bruce Highway, River Ranch. This fire is now contained and there is no threat to property at this time.
STAY INFORMED: Goodger
A fire is burning near Kingaroy Cooyar Rd and Old Taabinga Rd, Goodger. Firefighters are working with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service Crews (QPWS) to strengthen containment lines.
STAY INFORMED: Silverdale
A bushfire is burning near the Cunningham Highway, in an easterly direction towards Kelly Road and Kents Lagoon Road.
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