More than 30 firefighting crews were still battling an \u201cuncontrolled and uncontained\u201d bushfire at Teelah in the South Burnett late on Tuesday afternoon as it threatened multiple properties, with residents in two streets told to shelter in place.<\/p>\n
At least one home was rumoured to have been destroyed although fireys at the scene refuted that and said to their knowledge no property had been lost and nobody had been hurt.<\/p>\n
Multiple crews from across the Sunshine Coast and further afield were backburning to try to save homes in the path of the flames after residents were told to \u201cseek shelter\u201d on Stretton Drive and Scott Close, and to \u201cprepare to leave\u201d in Wild Deer Drive and Old Esk Road.<\/p>\n
A Queensland Fire Department spokeswoman confirmed the fire had grown in size and was still not contained as of 6pm on Tuesday evening.<\/p>\n
The small community is about 15km southeast of Nanango.<\/p>\n
Some residents claimed on social media they had not received the alerts.<\/p>\n
A command centre to coordinate efforts was set up at the end of Wild Deer Drive about 200m from the fire front.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for the rural fire service in Kingaroy said mid-afternoon the fire remained \u201cuncontrolled and uncontained\u201d and firefighters had no idea how much land it had burnt out and how long it would take to get it under control.<\/p>\n
Local GP, Dr Anna Cameron, who was still at her property and facing her 11th bushfire in 25 years, said the blaze was a \u201cfair sized one compared to some of the others\u201d thanks to the dry and windy conditions.<\/p>\n
She said \u201cmost of the fires have been started by people doing burn-offs or people doing doughnuts or people doing grinding… at times of year that they shouldn\u2019t\u201d.<\/p>\n
Dr Cameron said the decision to stay in the area was driven partially by a desire to keep an eye on her animals, and because \u201cwe\u2019ve been through so many (fires) here that we know when he have to (leave)\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re all packed and ready to go,\u201d Dr Cameron said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we need to we\u2019ll move up to the top house which is right next to where the fireys have their command post.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they\u2019re safe we\u2019re safe.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Dr Cameron urged people to take care about what they do when fire seasons rolls around every year, as their choices could have severe – and lifelong – impacts on neighbours and communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen it is fire season that does not mean it is the time you do your burn offs,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s so easy, particularly in an area like this… to have production burns get out of control\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Queensland Fire Department earlier issued an urgent \u201ctoo late to leave\u201d warning shortly after 9:30am for people near Stretton Drive and Scott Close.<\/p>\n
A second prepare to leave warning was issued for Old Esk Rd and Wild Deer Drive.<\/p>\n
The fire, which started at the weekend, began in bushland between these four roads, with the most serious threat reportedly moving east along Stretton Dr.<\/p>\n
A QFD spokeswoman said as of early Tuesday morning there were six properties under direct threat, with firefighters working to protect those properties.<\/p>\n
Emergency officials warned that homes were under direct threat and conditions were changing rapidly after the blaze flared up and jumped a local road on Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n
More than a dozen ground crews alongside aerial water-bombing support were fighting to control the fire, which as of 5.30am Tuesday had torched about 148ha of land.<\/p>\n
Fifteen rural fire brigades trucks, four Queensland Fire Department crews, and three aircraft were still working to contain the blaze as of shortly before 11am.<\/p>\n
With the situation escalating quickly, authorities urged everyone in the impacted zone to shelter in place indoors immediately, as attempting to evacuate posed a life-threatening risk.<\/p>\n
Two alerts have been issued: The seek shelter for residents at Stretton Drive and Scott Close,; And a prepare to leave warning for people living along Old Esk Road and Wild Deer Drive.<\/p>\n
They follow a similar warning issued shortly before 4pm Monday, from which residents were given a brief reprieve when the alert was downgraded to \u201cstay prepared\u201d shortly after 6pm.<\/p>\n
They advised the situation \u201ccould get worse quickly\u201d.<\/p>\n
Posts on the Blackbutt Benarkin Announcements Facebook page on Tuesday said some people living in the township about 10km southeast of the fire had received the warnings, but not those living much closer.<\/p>\n
Teelah\u2019s Gai Townsend said she was one of those who was not made aware as the alerts \u201cdon\u2019t work on wifi calling\u201d.<\/p>\n
Residents of the roads under threat, outside those told to shelter in place, have been invited on Facebook to get stock to the Blackbutt Showgrounds if safe to do so.<\/p>\n
A QFD spokesman said Tuesday the latest flare up started midday, and on Tuesday morning jumped a road, putting several properties under threat.<\/p>\n
The latest warnings followed a weekend in which an \u201cabsolutely terrifying\u201d grassfire crossed a bitumen road \u201cwith ease\u201d and left Nanango residents shaken across the weekend amid high temperatures, tinder dry conditions and fire warnings still active across the Burnett.<\/p>\n
A bushfire alert released on Saturday afternoon warned residents to prepare to leave as a \u201cdangerous fast-moving fire\u201d was burning near Old Esk North Road and Oakey Creek Road.<\/p>\n
QFD said reports of a large grass fire were received about midday in southeast Nanango.<\/p>\n
Dozens of crews responded to that 14ha fire over the next 12 hours, which reached a peak on Saturday afternoon, including rural fire service crews from across the region and water bombing aircraft.<\/p>\n
Queensland police were going house to house to warn local residents about the blaze.<\/p>\n
The only structure that was destroyed was a \u201csmall chook shed\u201d, according to a QFD spokesman, however multiple rural homes and structures came within metres of being engulfed.<\/p>\n
Guy Robinson said their family lost about 20 acres (8ha), with flames getting with about 15m of their home and shed.<\/p>\n
\u201cMassive day yesterday with choppers water dropping around the house and sheds which did manage to save them with about 15 meters to spare,\u201d he wrote on Facebook.<\/p>\n
\u201cA massive shout out to all of fire fighters, rural fire brigade, water bomber and guidance choppers as well as the police and ambos and the dozer driver who all did an amazing job.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jodie Nelson said her home was also in danger of being destroyed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe would like to say a massive thank you to all the fire fighters, helicopters and planes for saving our house, cars and our precious dog from the fires yesterday,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur whole property burnt except our house yard, which we are truly grateful for.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jessica Clements said the fire was \u201cabsolutely terrifying\u201d, but the response from emergency services and others helping was \u201cincredible\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cA fire that started at our neighbour\u2019s property quickly jumped across the road and turned into a huge blaze, eventually making its way down the back of our paddock,\u201d she wrote on Facebook.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was an incredibly long and stressful few hours, with Dad fighting the fire for hours to protect our property. We honestly can\u2019t thank him enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has been an absolutely frightening day, and we\u2019re exhausted, but incredibly thankful that everyone is okay and that our home and property have been protected.\u201d<\/p>\n
Photos taken from the scene showed how close the fire got to destroying some properties, with houses and sheds surrounded by black burnt grass and trees.<\/p>\n
South Burnett councillor Jane Erkens said Saturday was a \u201cfrightening and dangerous day\u201d and warned the ongoing hot and dry conditions meant there was a \u201creal risk\u201d of the fire reigniting.<\/p>\n
\u201cFire season has definitely arrived, and (Saturday) was a sobering reminder of how quickly conditions can change,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is hard to believe how ferociously the fire developed in such a short time. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe often think that a firebreak, or even a bitumen road, will protect our properties, but (Saturday\u2019s) fire crossed the road with ease. <\/p>\n
\u201cWind changes then caused the fire to shift direction unpredictably, keeping firefighters constantly on the move.\u201d<\/p>\n
She called for more people to volunteer with the rural fire service and highlighted how important this was to ensure the region had a robust fire response.<\/p>\n
QFD are expected to return to the area on Monday morning to patrol and monitor the scene. <\/p>\n
As of Monday morning, multiple fire warnings were still active across the region, including a stay informed warning for Mount Binga and southeast Nanango and a smoke warning for Okeden near Murgon.<\/p>\n
Conditions remained hot and dry, with temperatures expected to reach 33 degrees by Monday afternoon.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"More than 30 firefighting crews were still battling an \u201cuncontrolled and uncontained\u201d bushfire at Teelah in the 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