Queensland Fire and Emergency Services is warning landowners in north west and central Queensland to be proactive with bushfire preparations.
Rural Fire Service regional manager, Tony Hazell, said because some areas had experienced valuable pasture growth due to rainfall, it was now essential for landowners to take steps to prevent grazing land being lost to wildfire.
“We understand that landowners can be reluctant to conduct hazard reduction burns because they don’t want to lose good grazing pastures, but it’s important to take steps now to mitigate bushfire risk,” he said.
“Protect your property by constructing fire breaks, clearing access ways to property and water sources, and ensuring you have a bushfire survival plan.
“Although a lot of this vegetation may look green, we’re seeing a lot of fire fuel forming with colder conditions drying out vegetation rapidly.
“The vegetation is 60 to 90 per cent cured and we’re starting to see fire danger ratings push into very high, which means that if a fire does ignite there is very little moisture to stop the fire from taking hold and spreading quickly.”
Mr Hazell reminded landowners who wished to burn on their property to apply for a permit.
“If you are burning an area greater than two metres in any direction, you need to obtain a fire permit through your local fire warden,” he said.
“This ensure that burns are conducted at an appropriate time, are suitably managed and emergency services are notified.”
For more information on bushfire mitigation, people should visit www.ruralfire.qld.gov.au.
