Firefighters pull back to fight Dunmore and Kumbarilla State Forest infernos in open ground
Emergency services are working to contain a bushfire along a massive 74km front that is expected to burn for at least a week. The dire situation comes as it’s revealed another blaze was set off by a lawnmower.
Toowoomba
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Authorities have surrendered about 25,000 hectares to a large bushfire west of Cecil Plain as it burns in heavily wooded scrub in the Dunmore and Kumbarilla State Forest.
The fire is expected to continue for at least another week as it is too difficult, or too dangerous, for emergency services to access.
Queensland Rural Fire Service Regional Manager Wayne Waltisbuhl said fire crews spent all of Sunday backburning and clearing a 73km containment line in open grazing land.
“The Dunmore fire is 85 per cent contained and it was the northern end that did a big run on Friday night that we are still trying to contain,” he said.
“But the weather was very kind to us (on Saturday night).
“The plan was to have it fully contained by Sunday afternoon.”
The fire is fuelled by a large amount of vegetation that has grown over back-to-back La Nina events, that brought wetter than average summers and winters.
But those moist conditions are now a thing of the past.
Mr Waltisbuhl said the fire was pushed north by a cold, dry wind coming up from the south which had the added effect of dumping a large amount of hail in Nanango, about 120km away.
“The air may be cool, but is also very dry,” he said.
“The lack of air moisture and strong winds are the two really big contributing factors to this fire.
“The fuel on the ground is dry and it is burning as hot at night as it is during the day.
“It is very hard to fight fires in those conditions as there is no reprieve for our crews at night.”
Hundreds of Queensland Fire and Emergency Services are fighting the blaze from 23 separate units. They are being backed up by aerial water bombers and observation aircraft.
A ‘Prepare to Leave’ alert was put in place on Saturday but that has since been downgraded.
A giant plume of smoke billowing from the fire was impacting Cattle Creek, Warra, Yandilla and surrounding areas, with the Dalby air monitoring station recording “poor” air quality.
As the smoke drifted north it also affected areas surrounding Kingaroy and added to already smoke-affected areas in the North Burnett region.
The Gayndah air monitoring station recorded “extremely poor” air quality near Good Night and Morganville as an under-control fire burnt near Booyal Crossing Road.
In Kingaroy, the air monitoring station recorded a “very poor” rating.
Meanwhile, a second fire took hold at Wieambilla, north of Tara on Saturday afternoon that was started by sparks thrown from a lawnmower near Marys Road.
Mr Waltisbuhl said the local fire brigades acted fast to protect nearby properties, including the Bennett RFB shed.
“The fire ran pretty hard but we had a quick response from the air and on ground and had it under control by late Saturday night.
“There was no loss of property but 110 hectares was burnt.”
The incidents mark the start of the 2023 fire season and crews are prepared for a long, hot summer.
“This is only the start of our fire season and we have not seen peak conditions yet,” Mr Waltisbuhl said.
“If we get multiple fires in the area it will cause issues with resourcing.”
Originally published as Firefighters pull back to fight Dunmore and Kumbarilla State Forest infernos in open ground
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