Dozens of residents evacuated as ‘life-threatening’ bushfire approaches major township

Residents have been urgently evacuated and firefighters are pulling out all the stops as a ‘life-threatening’ fire encroaches on a Fraser Island town.

A bushfire that has razed through half of Fraser Island is on Monday morning fast encroaching on a township and threatening dozens of lives.

An emergency alert at 8am on Monday issued a fourth ‘LEAVE NOW’ warning to Happy Valley residents, urging people to get out before it became too dangerous to drive to safety.

Early on Monday morning, a large fire was travelling in a south-easterly direction towards the township of Happy Valley. It was initially expected to hit the town at 7am and have a “significant impact” on the community.

An alert sent later on Monday morning said the fire was still travelling southeast towards the township, and that crews would be backburning around the town’s perimeter, assisted by aircraft, to “reduce the expected impact on the community.”

Queensland Fire urgently issued an evacuation notice late on Sunday for Happy Valley residents, as the Fraser Island fire continues to burn for the seventh week. Picture: Channel 9

People in and around the town were advised to leave the area and head to the Eastern Beach before going south to Eurong Resort.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services warned conditions were very dangerous, and firefighters could be unable to prevent the fire advancing.

“The fire may pose a threat to all lives directly in its path,” a QFES statement said.

“People in the area will be affected by smoke, which will reduce visibility and air quality.”

Some residents, including those part of the local fire brigade, stayed to help air and land crews with the blaze.

A large tanker arrived from NSW on Monday morning to assist the 17 aircraft fighting the fire, which dumped up to 1.3 million litres of water on Sunday.

A NSW water bomber will join the fire fighting artillery on Monday, making it the 18th aircraft to try to dampen the blaze. Picture: Channel 9

Another bushfire front is burning east of the Kingfisher Bay Resort from the Dudonga Fire Break through to Cornwells Road.

Most residents on the Island’s western side evacuated themselves last week, before a wind change pushed the blaze in the opposite direction.

The fire is said to have been sparked by an illegal campfire seven weeks ago and has burned more than 80,000 hectares of world-heritage listed land.

Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Greg Leach said high temperatures and strong winds on Sunday had made firefighting efforts difficult, as he warned only “significant rain” across the island would extinguish the blaze.

“There has been a heavy use of aircraft to try and reduce the spread of the fire,” he said on Sunday afternoon.

“In a normal fire fight we might drop 100,000 litres on a single fire. We’re doing ten or twelve times that on this fire.

“This is a marathon not a sprint. There is no significant rain in the forecast, and that’s the only thing that will put this out.”

Queensland Fire urgently issued an evacuation notice late on Sunday for Happy Valley residents, as the Fraser Island fire continues to burn for the seventh week. Picture: Channel 9

On the ground, there are 11 firefighting trucks, four private vehicles and at least 30 QFES personnel stationed around Happy Valley.

“The local brigade has done mitigation and burning works, the town will stand in good stead should the head of the fire reach the township,” Commissioner Leach said.

Winds reached speeds of 35km on Sunday, with temperatures in the low to mid 30s making “difficult conditions” for firefighters.

Weather conditions are expected to be similar on Monday, with fire crews said to be most concerned about strong winds.

More than half of the world-heritage listed island has been burned over the last seven weeks, after a bushfire was started by an illegal campfire. Picture: Channel 9

Police made an emergency declaration under the Public Safety Preservation Act on Sunday afternoon, putting an exclusion zone in place.

“The exclusion zone encompasses Happy Valley township and extends 20 metres beyond the encompassing dingo fence including the Yidney Road high tide exit road from the south of Happy Valley Township and continues to the Yidney Rocks bypass road; and further includes the Yidney Rock’s bypass road south to the Eastern Beach and the housing complex known as the Oaks housing complex Eastern Beach, ending at the southern 40km zone ahead sign,” a statement from Queensland Police said.

As of Sunday afternoon, QFES were aware of 48 bushfires across the state, with hot temperatures and strong winds expected to continue on Monday.