Dalveen, Wallangarra bushfires: Couple separated in last-minute evacuation

Residents along the New England Highway endured a harrowing wait as multiple fires cut their escape routes, however there have been reports multiple Southern Downs families have nothing but ashes to return to.

An ominous red glow loomed in the skies over the border town of Wallangarra on Tuesday night as destructive fast-moving fires rampaged through bushland, and homes.

A Queensland Fire and Emergency spokeswoman said it was believed several dwellings at Wallangarra were lost throughout the past 24 hours.

For Heather and John Grasso and others in their community, they stayed awake in shifts to monitor whether the flames would again threaten their homes and lives following an afternoon where Wallangarra was on the brink of destruction.

Mrs Grasso was at home on Tuesday afternoon watching smoke rise to the west of Wallangarra – three-and-a-half hours southwest of Brisbane – when she and her husband John saw a semi-trailer catch alight on the New England Highway.

They rushed to the driver’s aid but then turned to see fires creeping into their property as plumes of smoke created a dark haze across the town and spot fires ignited all over the township.

The haunting glow as bushfires raged into the night near Wallangarra.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services alerted the town’s residents to leave immediately – 16 minutes later the message was to seek shelter inside their homes because attempting to flee could be fatal.

That’s when the Grassos went to battle stations with their garden hoses and the community took a stand alongside firefighters to defend their homes.

“We jumped on the hoses and we were able to get that out pretty quick,” Mrs Grasso said.

“Another passer-by was there and they grabbed a third hose to help us.”

The fire cut the New England Highway to the north of town and Mrs Grasso was told it would take some time before it was clear.

Heather and John Grasso captured these photos for fire and smoke overtaking Wallangarra on Tuesday, October 31, 2023.

“There are trees across the road and they do not have the resources to remove them,” she said.

The fire has moved into Girraween National Park, into inaccessible, rolling granite foothills complicating efforts to contain it.

“All night there was a red glow.

“I can see the southern end of Girraween National Park and there is a line of fire on the mountain.”

Further south several fires are raging in Tenterfield.

“Most of the action shifted to the southeast of us,” Mrs Grasso said.

“We took it in shifts to be awake because QFES was expecting the wind to blow back our way and they were worried about embers.

“But the fire has been far enough from us that we have not seen any embers.

Fire damage around Dalveen (near Warwick) Bushfires burning through the Southern Downs regional area near the Queensland to NSW border. Picture: NCA NewsWIRE / John Gass

The real heroes

Dalveen farmer Andrew Todd spent more than 10 hours protecting his home from a savage blaze that burnt through more than 200 acres of his 300-acre property at Mountain Park.

“We’ve never seen anything like it, we thought we were gone,” he said.

“There’s been a few big fires here but nothing like this, it was huge - terrifying.

“It was very emotional. Well, we all were because you look out and it’s coming for you, but you feel a little silly for it later.

“There was thick grey smoke everywhere about 700m high, it was glowing orange, and the entire horizon was just red and orange.

Fires heading north from Tenterfield on October 31, 2023. Pictures: Social media/ Cathy Madelo

“The wind was a mongrel. When it picked up on Tuesday we knew we were in for a fight.

“But we’re all okay, and we didn’t lose any cattle.”

The 65-year-old said he and his son spent the night and morning hosing down fires with a portable firefighting unit, with the Wild Ash Fire Brigade

“They are the real heroes, the Wild Ash Fire Brigade had four trucks on our property” he said.

Bushfires burning through the Southern Downs regional area near the Queensland to NSW border. Picture: NCA NewsWIRE / John Gass

“They just didn’t stop, they worked their butts off all night and no one ever talks about them.”

Mr Todd said air bombers dumped three loads of water which helped the crews on the ground.

“We were surrounded by flames,” he said.

“Around 3am when things were under control, we looked out over the mountains and there was a beautiful array of lights because there were flames everywhere.”

Despite initially thinking he and his family would lose everything, including their lives, Mr Todd said they were lucky, and he felt for those worse off following the Tara and Wallangarra fires.

“They’re the ones who really went through it, we’ve been very lucky.”

‘He was left behind’

Southern Downs property owners at Dalveen said they were given no warning of an out-of-control fire until it was on their doorstep, alongside a police officer who urged them to leave immediately.

The retired couple in their late 70s soon left, however were separated during the evacuation on Tuesday afternoon.

Suzanne McManus said when her husband John tried to flee their Dalveen property he was told to turn back because it was too late.

“We didn’t know where he was, but it was too late,” she said.

“He left about 10 minutes after me and he didn’t have a phone so we didn’t know what was happening.

“I know he can look after himself, but our daughter was really worried.”

The pair was reunited late on Wednesday morning when Ms McManus returned to the property.

Bushfires burning around Dalveen as seen from Old Stanthorpe Rd, Tuesday, October 31, 2023. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“The devastation of the fire has just been awful,” she said.

“We’ve been here for 30 years, it’s the worst fire we have seen.

“Everything is just black. There’s polls and trees down everywhere and they’re still soldering.

“We don’t have any power or water because the pump is down, the phones are down and my mobile only has 60% battery.”

Their property is within QFES’s emergency current warning area for Dalveen where residents were told to leave on Wednesday morning.

Southern Downs homes at risk of losing power

A number of Dalveen residents have been left without power after the Tuesday fires destroyed two power poles and cut electricity to 328 properties.

Ergon Energy spokesman Brett Judge said 31 properties were still without power.

One of the homes lost in the fires at Dalveen near Warwick. Picture: NCA NewsWIRE / John Gass

He said crews worked to get a new power pole installed on Wednesday morning and were now working on installing a second pole.

Mr Judge said a number of power poles in the Southern Downs area were at risk of being taken out by the fire threatening properties at Dalveen, The Glen, Silverwood, and Cherry Gully near Warwick.

He said Ergon hoped to restore power to the remaining 31 properties near Braeside, Dalveen, Pittsworth, and Turners Creek, on Wednesday afternoon.

More than 100 poles were destroyed during the recent Tara fires, which Ergon replaced within a period of four days.

Originally published as Dalveen, Wallangarra bushfires: Couple separated in last-minute evacuation