Bushfire season: North Queenslanders warned to get bushfire prepared
Dangerous fire conditions are still expected to hit Townsville in the coming months, sparking warning calls for residents to not be complacent after recent rainfall and get prepared. Here’s the NQ bushfire season outlook >>>
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DANGEROUS fire conditions are expected to hit Townsville in the coming months, sparking warning calls urging residents to not be complacent after recent rainfall and get ready for bushfire season.
Rural Fire Service regional manager Tony Hazell said firefighters have been working with partner agencies to ramp up bushfire mitigation efforts and encouraged residents to take steps to reduce the risk on their land.
He said most locals were about a month late on doing hazard reduction burns due to the unseasonable rainfall over winter.
“There is no room for complacency, as recent rain has only increased vegetation growth, meaning there are higher fuel loads across the region,” Mr Hazell said.
“Rural property owners should ensure firebreaks are in place, their property number is visible, and access is clear in case our trucks need to get onto a property.
“Residents living in urban areas aren’t immune to the risk either. It is important they take some time to clean out gutters and ensure there is no excess rubbish or debris in their yard.”
Mr Hazell said while the outlook for this year’s NQ bushfire season was generally positive due to recent rainfall, they were still bracing for some dangerous fire conditions from late September to November.
“There will be a few weeks of low humidity and high temperatures, and if the winds come from the west, it will be even drier,” he said.
“That could be dangerous if people don’t get on top of all that vegetation now while there is still moisture in the soil and things haven’t dried out.”
“Other than that, the season should be good. The Bureau of Meteorology says they expect an earlier onset of the northern monsoon at the end of the year, which will likely mean a shorter than average fire season for us.”
Residents who are planning to light a fire to burn debris or for land management will need to obtain a permit. For more information, visit www.qfes.qld.gov.au/bushfires
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Originally published as Bushfire season: North Queenslanders warned to get bushfire prepared
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