August 16, 2021
The first stage of a project which will lead to safer landings at Kingaroy Airport involved more than 60 firefighters on Saturday.
Seven urban and 17 rural fire brigade units answered a call from the South Burnett Regional Council to do a hazard reduction burn in a 50ha area on the southern end of the airport.
Airport Reporting Officer Chris Tilt told southburnett.com.au the area had not been burned for decades, if not longer.
Saturday’s hazard reduction burn not only reduced the risk of a wildfire near the airport’s grass and bitumen strips, but also reduced habitat for kangaroos which pose a problem at regional airports.
The area had formerly been under cultivation but in recent years, grass, weeds and wattle trees had grown back.
This had provided habitat for kangaroos which meant the airstrip had to be patrolled before landings and take-offs at night … flights which often involve the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
QFES Kingaroy Station Officer Bruce Groer said the burn mitigated the risk of grassfires in an area with a heavy fuel load but was also a great training opportunity ahead of the bushfire season.
The area to be burned was divided into sectors, with urban firefighters patrolling Peterson Drive while rural trucks controlled the burn on the northern perimeter.
Formal control points were also set up.
The next stage of the Council project will be to fence Kingaroy Airport with wildlife-proof fencing, similar to what has recently been installed at Wondai Airport.
Tenders for the fencing are expected to be released within the next few weeks, with the project to be completed before Christmas.
The airport remained open during the controlled burn, with light aircraft and gliders using the strips.
Motorists on Peterson Drive and Kingaroy-Cooyar Road were alerted to the heavy smoke from the burn-off.
Kingaroy Scouts put on a sausage sizzle lunch for the hard-working fireys.
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