November 1, 2014
Firefighters will remain on the scene overnight – and possibly for the next few days – to ensure that a fire at Brooklands this afternoon does not flare up again.
The fire was originally sparked by a lightning strike on Monday but was brought under control.
However today’s dry northerly winds fanned hidden embers and the fire flared up again.
It quickly jumped the Old Taabinga Road and took off through a forested area, burning out about 40ha.
Rural and urban crews were called to the scene at 1:00pm and had the fire back under control by 4:00pm.
The Brooklands, Stuart River, Hodgleigh-Kunioon and South Nanango rural brigades were joined by members from the Strike Team currently in the South Burnett.
SES crews from Kingaroy, Nanango and Yarraman also attended the blaze as did an ambulance crew as a precautionary measure.
Incident controller Chris Behm, 1st officer from Stuart River RFS, said a total of 11 rural units and two urban units attended the fire, which he described as “medium size”.
They conducted back-burning to control the fire.
He said the dry conditions and wind had helped the fire to move quickly.
Bushfire Safety Officer Joe Cullen, from Maryborough, is leading the Strike Team, the third to visit the South Burnett recently.
He said the fire was a timely warning to landholders to review their bushfire survival plan, and take the necessary steps to prepare their properties for a bushfire.
“If families don’t have a bushfire survival plan, it is necessary that they prepare one, and that all family members are aware of what it contains,” officer Cullen said.
[UPDATED]
