Four charged with lighting campfire alleged to have sparked massive Fraser Island wildfire

Four people have been charged with lighting a campfire that police allege sparked the massive blaze on Fraser Island, razing almost half of it.

Police have slammed a campfire alleged to have sparked a bush blaze that razed nearly half of heritage-listed Fraser Island as an “act of stupidity”.

Four people have been charged over the illegal campfire following a joint investigation between Queensland Police and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.

Officer in charge of Maryborough Criminal Investigations Branch, detective senior sergeant David Harbison, told reporters of the fire’s catastrophic aftermath.

“This fire has had a devastating effect on Fraser Island. It was, quite simply, totally avoidable,” he said.

“A large amount of damage was caused to the island; many people were inconvenienced and firefighter responses risked lives and cost a large amount of money.

“The motto here is … enjoy our national parks but abide by the rules that are in place to protect lives and property. That way everyone can enjoy their stay.

“The alleged act was one of stupidity; lighting unauthorised fires on Fraser Island. It's common knowledge you can’t light fires on Fraser Island and what flowed from there was catastrophic to the island.”

It will be alleged QPWS officers were alerted to an illegal campfire within the Duling Camp Zone of Eastern Beach, north of Orange Creek, on K’Gari on October 14.

The aftermath of the bush fire on world heritage-listed Fraser Island. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

The campfire was allegedly covered in sand but still radiating heat.

Police allege native vegetation in proximity then caught alight and started a wildfire to the northwest of the camp site.

Over the following weeks, the blaze consumed about 87,000 hectares of land.

Residents were evacuated from nearby campgrounds and towns as firefighters frantically battled to contain the fire.

Four people will face Hervey Bay Magistrates Court next year. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

Detectives from Maryborough Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) charged four people on Monday with lighting an unauthorised campfire that was not properly extinguished.

A 24-year-old Warwick man has been charged with the unlawful lighting of a fire and leaving a fire unattended.

Two men from Rosenthal Heights, aged 21 and 24, and a 23-year-old Massie man have been charged with one count each of the unlawful lighting of fires.

They will appear in Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on January 21.

A 17-year-old boy will be dealt with according to the provisions of the Youth Justice Act 1992.

Sergeant Harbison stressed that Maryborough CIB was not alleging the four accused deliberately started the fire, or that they were responsible for the entire wildfire.

“It is not alleged these male persons deliberately started this wildfire, that is not what we’re alleging,” he said.

“These charges (under the local management act) are serious; they carry up to 165 penalty units, so it’s quite a substantial fine.

“Again, I’d stress it’s not alleged we hold them accountable for the entire fire at the island.”