Mt Cotton residents fire up campaign for rural station as bushfire risk intensifies

Redland Bay residents would have just four hours to evacuate their homes if an out-of-control bushfire spread from Daisy Hill.The frightening forecast will tonight have Mt Cotton residents calling for their own rural fire station.

Mt Cotton residents are concerned their area could be the site of a monstrous fire similar to the one that ripped through Peregian last month. Picture: John McCutcheon/Sunshine Coast Daily

REDLAND Bay residents would have just four hours to evacuate their homes if an out-of-control bushfire spread from Daisy Hill.

The frightening forecast, forged from state government modelling, will tonight have Mt Cotton residents — whose homes would be decimated by such a bushfire — calling for the establishment of a local rural fire station.

$1 A WEEK FOR THE FIRST 8 WEEKS. Min. cost $4

Mt Cotton father-of-three Craig Luxton said it had been a four-year campaign by local residents and politicians to have a station approved.

Most recently, claims by QFES Logan Commander Inspector Robert Bloss that Daisy Hill and Venman’s bushland were notoriously big fire risks spurred Sports Minister Mick de Brenni to call a town meeting and discuss the possibility of a local fire brigade.

Richard Green and Pam Cox watch from their farm as emergency services fight to control a bushfire at Peregian last month.

A second meeting will be held at Sirromet Wines tonight following discussions between Mr de Brenni and Fire and Emergency Services Minister Craig Crawford.

Mr Luxton said while urban fire appliances would respond to a fire in the area, there were several limitations to the service they could provide.

He said the inability for urban fire trucks to go far off road and their need to return to the station once a fire was contained meant role of a rural fire brigade was also warranted.

“(Urban fire services) are designed to react to fire,” Mr Luxton said.

“A rural service is very different — it will react to fire, but its primary role is to mitigate risk and work with landholders.

“Once smoke is coming over the mountain it’s too late because of the fire fuel load.

“Rural fire is about prevention and vegetation management.”

More Redlands news

● Brisbane Vigilante jailed after attack on Bunnings worker

● Housing construction initiative brings growth to region

● Redlands College most outstanding alumni

Emergency Services fight to control the at Peregian.

Mr Luxton said the Mt Cotton and Redland Bay area had potential to host the type of disaster seen at Peregian on the Sunshine Coast last month because of its similar quantities of vegetation.

“If a wildfire comes from the west, Mt Cotton Rd is the last line of defence … the road at Peregian was wider than what Mt Cotton Rd is (and the fire was jumping across the road) so it gives you an idea of how fast things can move.

“Landowners are being fairly hogtied in the way they can manage their risk because they can’t clear the vegetation and they don’t have the skills.

“What we are saying is, allow us to be trained and give us the resources to train the community.”

Emergency Services tend to vegetation fire along Koel Circuit Peregian Springs, which then turned into a raging bushfire. Picture: Ian Martin

Mr Luxton said this fire season residents were left hoping for the best, with fire bans now in place that prevent backburning.

“Apart from cleaning out oru gutters and mowing our lawns, we have limited ability to manage our risk.”

Redland City Division 6 Councillor Julie Talty said fire modelling suggested a fire could burn through Mt Cotton and arrive at Redland Bay in four hours under the right conditions.

“The community needs to protect itself and it needs the tools to do that,” Cr Talty said.

She said last year, local urban fire crews were joined by external volunteer rural firefighters during a fire on the mountain.

She said while the fire was brought under control, the volunteer rural firefighters, who would traditionally watch for the reignition of flames from embers, had to leave and travel significant distances home.

“They had to tend to their farms and feed their stock.

“If there had have been people from this community, it would have been less of an issue.”

A community meeting will be held tonight on the Tuscan Terrace at Sirromet Wines from 6pm.