Get ready for bushfire season

The Queensland Fire Department is warning residents not to be complacent during this year’s bushfire season, saying now is the time to prepare their properties.

With excess vegetation including long grass, leaf litter, twigs and bark on the ground after recent rain, Southeast Coast District Assistant Chief Officer Joel Gordon says the risk of grassfires is one of his biggest concerns for the coming season.

“All the rain we had last summer created the ideal conditions for vegetation growth,” Joel says.

“A lot of the areas that were burnt in the 2018/19 bushfires have recovered and accumulated excess vegetation and are getting to the point where they could potentially carry fire again.

“That means, it is very likely over the next few months we will probably see more of a grassfire season than a traditional bushfire season.”

In a bid to protect lives and homes from being destroyed, Joel says crews have been backburning.

“We have been actively undertaking mitigation activities since the end of the wet season along with the Rural Fire Service, land management partners and Council,” Joel says.

“A lot of the bushland reserves near the Redcliffe Peninsula are managed by the Council, and they have a strong bushfire mitigation program to manage the at-risk areas throughout the year.

“They also conduct strategic burns that are not going to adversely affect the flora and fauna that occupy the area.”

City of Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery says crews have been working around the clock in the lead-up to bushfire season.

“September marks the beginning of bushfire season in Moreton Bay, which poses a serious risk to homes and businesses throughout the city,” Mayor Flannery says.

“City of Moreton Bay crews have been prioritising strategic burns to maximise the impact of our risk reduction efforts and mitigate bushfire risk to the community.

“In addition, our natural areas and maintenance crews continue to carry out management of vegetation all year round to reduce available fuel for bushfires in the Moreton Bay area.”

During emergency situations, Mayor Flannery says residents can get quick access to information via Council’s MoretonAlert notification system and Disaster Dashboard.

“Don’t forget to subscribe to our MoretonAlert notification system to get flood, severe weather and bushfire warnings tailored to your registered address, and to familiarise yourself with our Disaster Dashboard for all the information you could need during a disaster,” he says.

Describing the Peninsula as a peripheral-urban area featuring large areas between built-up suburbs and rural landscapes, Joel says it is important everyone does their bit to prepare.

“A lot of people get complacent, especially if they live in a built-up area, thinking a bushfire won’t affect them, but that is not the case,” Joel says.

“A well-prepared home is easier to defend and reduces the risk of surrounding properties.

“It is also important for people to have their bushfire survival plan ready in the event a fire does occur.

“As always in an emergency, call Triple 0 and follow all local warnings and advice.”

Simple steps to prepare your home

• Clear gutters and roofs of leaves, twigs bark and other debris
• Reduce vegetation along access paths
• Mow your lawn regularly
• Remove excess flammable materials such as long dry grass, dead leaves, and branches
• Trim low-lying branches around your home to a height of 2m from the ground