Firefighters battle blaze on Gold Coast’s Spit near SeaWorld after it ignites for third time

Traffic has finally been allowed to depart after a large grass fire saw hundreds of people stuck on the Gold Coast for more than four hours.

TRAFFIC has finally been allowed to depart the northern end of The Spit after a grass fire at Philip Park saw hundreds of people stranded for more than four hours.

Cars streamed down Seaworld Drive when the road was re-opened shortly after 4.30pm.

Officer manually directed cars at the intersection of the Gold Coast Highway and Waterways Drive in an effort to clear the traffic as quickly as possible.

Police had earlier declared a Public Safety Preservation Act (PSPA) exclusion zone as the grass fire caused a huge cloud of smoke to billow into the air.

Officers were pushed to the brink containing a number of pedestrians, cyclists and motorists demanding to travel through the bushfire zone to get to their cars, or to work.

Fire on the Gold Coast Spit seen from Main Beach. Picture: Luke Gracias

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A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokeswoman said the fire was brought under control at 3.30pm.

Nine crews were still at the scene at 5pm dampening hot spots and keeping an eye on the area to ensure the fire doesn’t re-ignite again.

Gold Coast grass fire - avoid entering onto Seaworld Drive at the Southport Yacht Club as visibility is poor. Please avoid the area. pic.twitter.com/kZGLUyqkai

— Queensland Police (@QldPolice) January 28, 2019

Seven fire crews fought the blaze, which burned for hours in Philip Park north of the Sheraton Grand Mirage.

Motorists whose vehicles were stuck on the other side of the fire break were left frustrated as police vehicles blocked the road.

Pacific Mirage, which contains 54 private villas, was evacuated as the blaze continued to burn right next door.

Area of the exclusion zone which was declared by police on The Spit.

A witness said frustrated car drivers unable to leave The Spit argued with police.

“Lots of car drivers are arguing with cops whose vans are blocking off the road,” she said.

“The fire engines are all still there, including several of the special yellow ones they use for accessing difficult sites.

“They are lucky with the wind direction and the fact that it’s not very strong today.”

Nearby Sea World was able to continue operating as normal, with the wind mostly blowing smoke awy from the park.

“The fire is south of Sea World so the park is not affected,” a spokesman said.

Firies battling the blaze on Seaworld Drive. Picture: Talisa Eley

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The fire was the second to break out in the area in the same day, with firefighters having previously been called to the scene at 7.30am.

Three crews responded and battled the blaze, which was extinguished after three hours.

A huge cloud of smoke seen rising from the fire on The Spit. Picture: Sam Cleaveland

A blaze also broke out in the same location at about 7.45pm on Saturday night.

The fire that night was extinguished within 45 minutes.

Cars backed up on Seaworld Drive north of the bushfire. Picture: Joey McGahey

It is believed the fire reignited because of the hot, dry weather conditions and strong winds currently being experienced on the Gold Coast.

The Bureau of Meteorology has confirmed that the Gold Coast is on course to record its driest January ever, with only 3.8mm having fallen so far this month.

Originally published as Firefighters battle blaze on Gold Coast’s Spit near SeaWorld after it ignites for third time