Huge burn-off plan for “one of the highest risk bushfire areas in the state”

Hazard reductions burns will start soon to protect houses in what a senior firefighter says is one of the highest risk bushfire areas in the state. The move comes ahead of an expected early start to the fire season in southern and central Queensland.

Rural Fire Service firefighters plan to start a hazard reduction program in a 2000ha area near Samford next week. File photo: Queensland RFS

Rural fire fighters are gearing up to start hazard reduction burns in 2000 ha of forest near Brisbane where houses would be at high risk if a bushfire breaks out.

Rural Fire Service (RFS) regional manager Wayne Waltisbuhl said the burns were likely to start late next week when the weather was suitable and the forest had dried out more.

The area, private property, is around Harlan Rd, about 2km south east of Mt Glorious, and about 10km from Samford Village, just outside of Brisbane.

“The Harland Rd estate I would classify as one of the highest risk bushfire areas in the state,” Mr Waltisbuhl said.

“It’s a housing estate in the middle of a large vulnerable (wet sclerophyll) forest that when it dries out, and we get a fire in that sort of country, it’s very difficult to contain and will be quite destructive.

“It’s a big forest. There’s a massive amount of leaf drop up there at the moment. Most of the roofs are covered in leaves.

“The country leading to the south of Harland Rd runs into a national park that I know we’ve tried to burn for probably the past 20 years and been unsuccessful.

“It’s too green, it’s too moist, (and) it’s on the southern slopes so it doesn’t dry out as quick. Which means it doesn’t burn so it’s relatively safe in that respect.”

The RFS plans to burn small sections of the forest at a time, prioritising areas that will create the greatest protection for assets such as homes.

Key players from local RFS brigades, Moreton Bay Regional Council and National Parks met last week to plan the program.

Local RFS members, with input from local residents, mapped the area last week to design a mosaic pattern for the burns.

Fire lines are planned to be about 2km-long, which will require about 30 fire fighters in the field.

More RFS personnel will be needed to staff the incident control centre, likely to be at the Samford RFS station.

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Mr Waltisbuhl said weekends were the best time to conduct such burns as that was when most RFS volunteers were available.

He described this operation as “a fairly major exercise” and said it would also be used as a pre-fire season exercise to test incident management skills and communications capabilities.

“After the last two fire seasons, the announcement of a royal commission, we know one of the key outcomes of the royal commission will be we need to do more fuel management, that’s a no-brainer for us.

“What makes it hard to achieve is the time frame, the windows of opportunity against the prescriptions.”

Harland Rd, Mt Nebo. Source: Google Maps

Mr Waltisbuhl said now was the best time for landowners to assess their property as the next fire season was expected to start earlier than the usual August 1.

“We’re predicting the first of July as the start the grass fire season (in southern and central Queensland),” he said.

“There is an abundant amount of dry grass matter there right now that’s becoming very cured and available.

“With a bit of wind behind it and you’ll see some fast moving grass fires in the earlier part of our season.”

“Every landowner has the responsibility to manage fire risk on their properties.

“For some people who are private landowners that’s not an easy task to do so that’s where the fire service, particularly the rural fire brigades get involved.”

RFS brigade’s key role was supporting landowners conducting mitigation burns. Other options included reducing fuel by slashing, or making fire breaks.

They should contact their local rural fire brigade for advice and an assessment.

People should also make bushfire survival plans now.