Millmerran evacuation centre fills up as families flee fire
For months, Tony Lambdon and his partner Danielle Gordon knew the scrub surrounding their home could go up in flames at any moment. Now, they're among the families ordered to evacuate as a bushfire approaches.
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FOR months, Tony Lambdon and his partner Danielle Gordon knew the scrub surrounding their home could go up in flames at any moment.
Years of drought sapped the gum trees of all moisture, the dams were empty and there was plenty of tinder-dry grass.
It was all waiting for a single spark.
"We were having lunch when we smelt the fire at 12.30pm," Mr Lambdon said
"We were out of there by 2.30pm.
"The Millmerran Police Sergeant Tony Ryan came to our door and he said, 'just leave,' so we put our emergency plan into action."
Police this evening made an emergency declaration under the Public Safety Preservation Act due to a dangerous bush fire burning at Cypress Gardens.
The exclusion zone is bound by Groszman Road to the west, Cypress Avenue to the south and along Nine Mile Road to Antonio Road to the north.
Before evacuating Mr Lambdon drove to the fire front to offer his help.
He said there was nothing he could do.
"You could see a huge plume of black smoke," he said.
"The rural firefighters said the fire was already out of hand."
Mr Lambdon and his partner joined about 60 of their neighbours at the Millmerran Community Cultural Centre.
They plan to stay through the night.
"We took our toothbrushes, credit cards and important documents, we hooked up at the trailer and drove away," Mr Lambdon said.
"It felt surreal, but you have to say calm and do the right thing
"Everybody is in good humour and they have plenty of food."
Douglas Grist, a Cypress Gardens local, says he and his Dalmatian were “the only ones” still around the area after QFES urged people to immediately leave this afternoon.
“The sun was hit by the smoke about 2pm and it was unbelievable … that’s when I was really worried about my property,” Mr Grist said.
“My house was probably about one kilometer away from the fire, I went to check at about 6.30pm and the winds must have changed because I was safe."
Mr Grist fled his home to the local community centre, taking his dog, Shadow with him.
“I have six chickens as well but I couldn’t catch them so I just opened the cage,” Mr Grist said.
“I’m a lucky man because when I went back, they were all there,”he said.
“But I know it only takes one wind change and the fire will be back.”
Mr Grist told The Courier-Mail he plans to “stay awake all night” as part of his fire evacuation plan and said if people are prepared and stay alert, all is okay.
“You can only cry over a lost house if you’re alive to do it.”
Originally published as Millmerran evacuation centre fills up as families flee fire