Qld bushfires: High winds, high temps set to fan flames
Aerial footage has revealed the frightening situation in the Southern Downs that led to an entire town being told to ‘shelter immediately’. WATCH THE VIDEO
QLD News
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The Southern Downs town of Wallangarra has been saved following a massive firefighting effort on Tuesday.
Speaking at a press conference this evening, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed waterbombing aircraft had been used to fight the blaze and that the fire had gone “around the town”.
“The town has been saved. This is tremendous work. And I also want to thank the New South Wales government because we utilised their large tanker, their large plane, and that has been of tremendous service.”
The town’s 600-strong residents had earlier in the day been told to “shelter immediately’, with terrifying footage released by Queensland Fire and Emergency Service showing the huge fire just metres from homes. The footage also showed people driving vehicles away from the fire as it approached properties.
QPS deputy commissioner Cameron Harsley confirmed there had been no reports of “anyone injured or killed” in the fires at Wallangarra.
An evacuation centre has been established at Stanthorpe’s Civic Centre.
Mayor Vic Pennisi said a risk assessment was under way to determine whether emergency services escorts can safely relocate remaining residents to Stanthorpe’s evacuation centre.
“It’s most important that we keep those people safe and we’re conscious that we don’t want to lose any lives,” he said.
“It’s been confirmed that four houses have been damaged in some way, we don’t know what the level of damage is at this point in time that will unfold as we go forward into the morning.”
Mr Pennisi said the safety of the remaining residents was a top priority, with the town losing access to its power and water supply.
“Our officers were able to be escorted in (to Wallangarra) to see if they could try and get that back on (the power),” he said
“We have some backup generators there (in Wallangarra) and we’ll kick those generators off.”
Mr Pennisi said he was hopeful conditions will show some improvement on Wednesday, with some rain predicted across the region.
QFES deputy commissioner Mike Wassing said the Western and Southern Downs regions have been “effectively fighting bushfires since December last year”.
“That was our last bushfire season that has effectively joined this bushfire season due to the very dry conditions,” Mr Wassing said.
He said extra firefighting crews had been brought in from Victoria and deployed into southwest Queensland and that a large aerial air tanker had been moved from Bundaberg to Wellcamp.
“Our aim is to investigate all fires,” he said.
Asked whether he was concerned about further suspected arson, Mr Harsley said: “I’m more concerned about the weather conditions, because what we are seeing is the fires are actually jumping and sparking”.
“The natural course of fires is more of a concern to me…the fire at Landsborough there, there is some suggestion it was lit…police are investigating it at the moment, talking to a number of people.”
“We take a very dim view of people putting our community at risk,” he said.
“The majority of these fires are occurring naturally, we had thunderstorms last week which sparked a number of fires through lightning strikes.
“I know people jump to the conclusion that potentially these fires are arson, that’s not the case, we are also working against Mother Nature.”
Video footage taken by local Robert Ettery showed chaotic scenes of firefighters working amidst billowing smoke to contain a fast-moving blaze as it approached home and vehicles.
“That’s blowing towards the houses, that is moving fast!” Mr Ettery said while recording the video.
“That’s the house there - the fire’s going straight towards it.
“This is the Queensland border guys.”
The bushfire also forced the closure of the New England Highway between Wallangarra and Pyramids Road.
At one point a blaze came worryingly close to Fletcher property owners Vanessa and Harold Smith home.
“It’s scary as hell out here for us. There’s a lot of planes flying over and dumping water and all we can hear are sirens,” Mr Smith said.
“It’s worrying, we’ve been here for six years. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
They said they had been keeping an eye on the fire all day, however extremely windy conditions around midday made the situation dire.
Ms Smith said their property was extremely dry and dense mountainous bushland, which made it extremely hard to see what direction the fire was.
“We are fully surrounded by bushland and there is only one way out, that’s what’s making me anxious,” she said.
“There’s just this big plume of smoke. We don’t know what direction the fire travelling in or how fast it is travelling.
“I haven’t seen any warnings for our area. But if we knew what particular areas and towns it was heading towards, not just compass directions, we could be better prepared.”
The married couple have a number of animals, including 10 heads of livestock, that they were worried about evacuating.
Another concerned resident took to social media earlier on Tuesday revealing fireys had been working on containment lines at Wallangarra.
“But the bigger issue will be a big front coming out onto the highway at multiple locations from the hills,” the resident wrote.
Wallangarra resident Sheila Beaven said the fire came right up to her Woodlawn St home.
“It was right across the road. It is very smoky now and very windy,” she said.
Firefighters were quick to protect several structures near Ms Beavan’s home and she said they have since moved on.
“The fire came right along the train line and up our street,” she said.
‘I can see the fire trucks at the train station now.
“I think the fire is heading south to Jennings, but it is hard to tell, there is a lot of smoke around.”
In Jennings, which is just over the New South Wales border, an emergency warning was also issued.
“The fire is impacting on homes and properties in the area of Wallangarra in Queensland and rapidly approaching Jennings in NSW,” NSW Rural Fire Service said.
“If you are in the area of Jennings, your life is at risk. It is too late to leave.
“Seek shelter in a solid structure such as a house. Do not be caught in the open in the path of the fire.”
Further north, residents of Dalveen, which is 20km outside of Stanthorpe, were told to leave immediately in an emergency warning issued at 3.07pm.
“A fast-moving fire is burning near Old Coach Road. It is expected to impact New England Highway within the next hour,” it said.
Dalveen resident Christine Hicks spent the afternoon helping her neighbours move their horses to safer ground.
Her property is a short distance from Sorrento Road, where the Dalveen fire ignited.
She said her plan for the evening was to bunker down and protect her property.
“The fire is spreading badly, I’ll be watching it all night,” Ms Hicks said.
“I am lucky because my paddocks are all eaten out and there is not much left to burn.”
Earlier, QFES advised there was a large fire burning near Golden Glow Rd, Tara, at 10.52am. It was earlier expected to impact Bennett School Road. Residents there were also urged to leave immediately.
At 8.52am, an emergency warning was issued for residents in parts of the Western Downs where multiple dangerous fires are burning.
QFES issued a “leave immediately” warning for Tara, Montrose North, Wieambilla and The Gums.
Properties between Wieambilla Rd, Chinchilla Tara Rd, Upper Humbug Rd, Drildool Rd, Joseph St, and Clynes/Weitzels Rd are in the warning area and residents have been told to leave now.
A “prepare to leave” warning was also issued at 8.48am for Kogan properties between Montrose Rd, Tara Kogan Rd and Weitzels Rd.
SUSPICIOUS FIRES UNDER INVESTIGATION, REPORTS OF LOOTING
Police are investigating four Sunshine Coast bushfires over the past fortnight they believe may have been deliberately lit.
It’s been alleged a fire on Stokes Rd at Beerwah that ignited about 10.30am on Sunday was arson, while another blaze that started in a forestry clearing on Dianella and Roys roads in Beerwah about 1pm on Saturday was also deliberately lit.
This fire became the subject of a Public Safety Preservation Act on Saturday night and forced the closure of Steve Irwin Way.
A fire which destroyed a building on Sattler Rd in Meridan Plains on October 23 is believed to have started after an intruder gained entry to a business by cutting locks to a fence, while another fire on Roys Rd at Beewah on October 21 is also being investigated as suspicious.
The allegations from police come after a 22-year-old Alexandra Hills man was on Sunday charged with starting a fire on Wellington Rd, Cleveland. Police allege he was found with a number of lighters when they found him.
North Coast region rural fire service regional manager Craig Magick says suspected arsonists are not only putting the community at risk, but also the lives of firefighters.
Police also revealed earlier today they had received multiple reports of looting from homes that have been evacuated by residents across the Western Down.
Superintendent Michael Thiesfield said police were made aware of three separate instances of theft, included tools being stolen from a Wieambilla property and a vehicle being stolen from another local home. No one has been charged yet for the thefts.
Federal Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt and State Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon announced while in Dalby on Tuesday that funding was now available for those “severely” impacted by the bushfires.
Mr Watt said those eligible would receive $1000 per adult and $400 per child.
Ms Scanlon added that medium-term accommodation was being organised for those currently staying in evacuation centres, with the Tara Showgrounds expected to open up and provide caravans for people, and demountables to open up however they would take up to eight weeks to set up.
MASSIVE TEAM BATTLING QLD FIRE
A team of 120 personnel has been deployed to the Tara fires, with the focus on areas north of Upper Humbug Rd. Strike teams from Victoria are expected to arrive Wednesday to provide assistance.
A QFES spokeswoman said the conditions were very windy with the temperatures expected to climb upwards of 40C with the wind moving north to west.
With 80 bushfires burning across the state an extreme fire danger has been declared in multiple hot spots, and fire bans enacted in over 80 per cent of local government areas.
And the state’s purpose-built waterbombing aircraft has been relocated from its usual base at Bundaberg to Wellcamp Airport near Toowoomba in anticipation of flare-ups in the region.
Acting Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Deputy Commissioner Joanne Greenfield said 46 houses had been lost in the latest wave of fires, along with 30 sheds and eight mobile properties.
Residents in parts of Carnarvon Gorge, Buckland, Consuelo, Rewan, Colosseum, Miriam Vale and Rosehill at Warwick on Monday received warnings to prepare to leave.
People who have homes in parts of Tara, Montrose North, Wieambilla and The Gums were told it was still unsafe for them to return to their homes.
“The conditions today have been largely high fire danger rating around the state but tomorrow (Tuesday) we’re going into, particularly in the Darling Downs area and the Granite Belt, an episode of extreme fire danger rating,” Ms Greenfield said.
“It means when fire gets on the ground it will be quite hard to control. To help us with that we’ve put in fire bans across the state, in over 64 LGAs (out of the state’s 77).”
Rural Fire Service acting Assistant Commissioner Peter Hollier said there would be “direct pressure” on containment lines on Tuesday.
He said crews were “certainly anxious” about the forecast conditions.
“The very strong wind … we will see an increase in the wind, certainly the high temperatures, low humidity, will put pressure again on those lines,” he said.
“It’s very critical that people are aware of their circumstances, they are aware of the situation, they are heeding the warning, they have a plan, they know what to do, where to go and who to contact.”
Mr Hollier said crews were hoping for some reprieve from Wednesday, which could continue to Friday.
“However there will still be high fire dangers particularly in the western parts of the state,” he said.
Mr Magick said the rural fire service and fire and rescue brigades in the Wide Bay and the Sunshine Coast were ensuring they had “adequate manning” for their trucks to ensure a quick response.
He said conditions on the Sunshine Coast had reached a high level fire rating.
“This means fires in these conditions are more difficult to bring under control quickly,” Mr Magick said.
Conditions on the Sunshine Coast area on Tuesday were expected to exacerbate fire conditions, which QFES Beerwah rural controller Daniel Sandman said his team was prepared for.
“It will be a really rubbish day … strong winds and high temps,” he said.
“We are expecting low to mid 30s. If the fire starts up again we will be throwing heaps of resources at it.”
Queensland Police Service acting Deputy Commissioner Ben Marcus said 48 people were in evacuation centres.
He said some people were arriving to their homes to see them fire-damaged and they were being helped by police to get alternative accommodation.
Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Livio Regano said there was high or moderate fire warnings around the state on Tuesday, while the Darling Downs was forecast to have “extreme” conditions.
He said Toowoomba would have a temperature in the low 30s while the northwestern parts of the Darling Downs could get close to 40C.
“The humidity is naturally very low and the winds will probably get to 30, 35km/an hour, maybe up to 40km/h which is quite gusty,” he said.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Tuesday paid tribute to firefighters battling the blazes, while Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon visited Dalby.
“I want to thank once again all of those involved in helping our communities including interstate and New Zealand fire crews giving our own firefighters a much-needed break,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“Aircraft – including our LAT and New South Wales’ – are deployed where they can do the most good.
“Queensland’s arms continue to wrap around those who’ve lost everything in these fires.”
Many locals who were evacuated from bushfires near Tara are now in alternative accommodation, with just 26 people remaining in the Dalby Evacuation Centre.
Accommodation options are being discussed, including demountable homes and caravans, with staff from the departments of Housing and Communities providing assistance.
A large aerial tanker has been moved to Toowoomba and a NSW tanker has been moved to Coffs Harbour, with a total of 42 aircraft available.
Victorian and New Zealand fire crews and equipment are on the way to the region.
A cool change with showers and storms are forecast in the area from Friday.
Originally published as Qld bushfires: High winds, high temps set to fan flames
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