Queensland bushfires. [Archive] - Australian Land Rover Owners

debruiser

28th November 2018, 07:28 AM

I'm ok, I live in the middle of Mackay so we are about 50kms from that bad boy up at Finch Hatton. We do have ash falling from the sky though, and it's been really hazy; it's very out of character for Mackay.

As far as I know Bearman's place will be ok too, he is close to the coast as well. He might be at work though.... could be a different story there.

Have you checked out the fire maps available online? I was having a look yesterday i think i read that there was 90 fires in Qld. Also saw an interesting map that could overlay past fire activity. I paid a little attention to the size of areas burnt recently, it's thought provoking.

You'll be glad to know that it's starting to cool down a little now! Minimum last night was 26deg. Forecast for today is 38 with 93% humidity. YUCK!

Eevo

28th November 2018, 07:36 AM

SA Fire Services sending 60 firefighters to help Queensland

27/11/2018

A contingent of 60 firefighters, plus Incident Management Team staff and Commanders will fly to Queensland tomorrow afternoon to help the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services battle an unprecedented amount of fires burning across the state.
Queensland firefighters are currently fighting eight significant fires and up to 80 smaller fires, with the number of fires expected to grow rapidly over the next few days due to extreme conditions.
As South Australia commences its Bushfire Danger Season, firefighters from the SA Country Fire Service, SA Metropolitan Fire Service and Department for Water and Environment will join the 250 firefighters that have been requested from across Australia and New Zealand to help Queensland crews.
Queensland are reporting unprecedented bushfire behaviour and activity, and large areas across the state are experiencing record temperatures and heatwaves.
The South Australian firefighter contingent is expected to leave Adelaide Airport tomorrow afternoon, with flight times to be confirmed tomorrow morning.

DiscoMick

28th November 2018, 03:32 PM

Hard to believe that about 50 people are flatly refusing to leave the Baffle Creek area despite being ordered to go and 1000 having already left.
With 70kmh westerlies blowing the fires through containment lines, and warnings that even going to the beach may not save people, it's a case of leave or be burnt to death.
Police are having to risk their own lives to arrest those who refuse to leave voluntarily. I know that area and it's thick forest all the way to the frontal dune. There is nowhere to hide.
Seriously, why are some people just so stupid?

Queensland bushfires: fears for safety as 80 blazes rage across state

Queensland bushfires: fears for safety as 80 blazes rage across state | Australia news | The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/nov/28/queensland-bushfires-evacuation-order-as-80-blazes-rage-across-state?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Copy_to_clipboard)

DiscoMick

28th November 2018, 03:44 PM

The government has just closed 34 schools in the fire area and told people to go home and listen to the radio advice, as the fire conditions are now described as 'catastrophic' and getting worse, with increasing dry westerly winds, dry air moving in and lightning starting fresh blazes. Roads are already blocked by fires and escape routes closed.
With 138 fires in the state, why wouldn't people listen to the authorities?

DiscoMick

28th November 2018, 03:55 PM

Live: 'People will burn to death': Homes lost as residents flee Queensland bushfires
Queensland bushfires prompt 'firestorm' warning for people in Deepwater, Rules Beach and nearby areas - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-28/queensland-bushfires-deepwater-rules-beach-baffle-live-blog/10561514)

DiscoMick

28th November 2018, 04:35 PM

Now telling 8000 Gracemere residents to evacuate immediately to Rockhampton.

DiscoMick

28th November 2018, 04:37 PM

Stay safe, forum members.

NavyDiver

28th November 2018, 04:47 PM

Heck Mick. It sounds crazy. Take care

DiscoMick

28th November 2018, 05:10 PM

We're fine in Brissie.
It's Bundy to Cairns is the danger zone. High winds, high temperatures, super dry bush, lightning storms without any rain and it's getting worse tonight.

incisor

28th November 2018, 05:30 PM

Place near Wamuran just west of caboolture now has an evacuation notice in place

DiscoMick

28th November 2018, 05:45 PM

Weather Obsessed public group | Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/WeatherObsessed/permalink/537968696678050/)

Homestar

28th November 2018, 07:05 PM

Unfortunately some people think they can protect their property - in reality very very few can. Pack up and go - possessions can be replaced, lives can’t.

Stay safe everyone.

weeds

28th November 2018, 07:13 PM

Not sure why your surprised....people do dumb things every day, today is no different.

On another not these area are not your typical bush fire area, cyclone maybe but not massive bush fires.

Geez I wonder if the house I grew up in in Gracemere is under threat.

Eevo

28th November 2018, 07:20 PM

Hard to believe that about 50 people are flatly refusing to leave the Baffle Creek area despite being ordered to go
personal choice.

Homestar

28th November 2018, 07:53 PM

Not sure why your surprised....people do dumb things every day, today is no different.

Yep, some of us won’t leave our houses when under threat, some of us buy Land Rovers... 😇

DiscoMick

28th November 2018, 08:15 PM

The conditions were so bad that people were told it was impossible to protect their properties and they either left or died. Easy choice, I think.

weeds

28th November 2018, 08:25 PM

The conditions were so bad that people were told it was impossible to protect their properties and they either left or died. Easy choice, I think.

Yes and no.....be interested in the stats after the fires are out I.e. how many stayed v how many died

I read one new report they were in dis-belief at the number of cars heading into gracemere......do you reckon they thought for a second that some/most of these people were probably heading in for loved ones, I know if my kids were at school or somebody was at home than I would want to check......before everybody says trust emergency services, pretty sure it was a senior policemen said it’s impossible to door knock every house. That would be good enough for me to personally check on my loved ones.

laney

28th November 2018, 09:07 PM

This is more common then people think fire and police cannot force people to go I have experienced this in Victoria and Queensland and when you tell them that if they stay they may very well be on there own they say ok I'll ring triple O if I need help what do you say I just scratch my head in disbelief. In Queensland a property owners can deny fire fighters access to their property.

LRT

28th November 2018, 11:33 PM

We decided to out in the St Patrick’s day fire. Impossible to fight a fire at 10pm with 140kph winds & a bluegum plantation alight.

We saw the fire start from the fallen power pole 3km away & only had time to grab phones & wallets and go. A burn over is certainly not a pleasant experience.

The risky thing is the adrenaline rush and the emotional trauma of your belongings burning that is really dangerous as you might take unnecessary risks trying to save distressed livestock etc that will cost you your life doing so.

defender90

28th November 2018, 11:33 PM

It's still 30° here in Rockhampton at 10:30 lots of smoke around but the wind has gone from gusts of 80km/h to next to nothing so hopefully it gives the fire fighters a good chance to get it contained before it hits Gracemere.

DiscoMick

29th November 2018, 09:20 AM

Gracemere saved so that's good but other areas evacuated and still 200 fires.

DiscoMick

29th November 2018, 09:52 AM

I see the remaining people finally left Baffle Creek/Deepwater overnight, so that's good.
If you know the Deepwater National Park you'd know it's densely forested with tracks meandering through the trees, so it's a hot fire environment and the flames would race across the treetops, so it's not a place where a house could be defended, I believe.

Bearman

29th November 2018, 10:46 AM

Heading your way Bearman. Where are you these days, Mr Debruiser?
Take care, everybody.

So far all good in my area Ian. The big ones are up the Pioneer valley and south of here.:thumbsup:

DiscoMick

29th November 2018, 06:28 PM

Still pretty hairy up there, judging from the news. Stay safe and leave early folks.

bob10

30th November 2018, 09:35 PM

Unbelievable.

Queensland fire emergency results in two arson arrests near Rockhampton as battle continues (https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/queensland-fire-emergency-results-in-two-arson-arrests-near-rockhampton-as-battle-continues/ar-BBQhu6U?ocid=spartandhp)

JDNSW

1st December 2018, 06:27 AM

Unfortunately, thinking of events during previous fire emergencies in other parts of the country, it is entirely believable.

The mental processes of some people are what is unbelievable!

debruiser

1st December 2018, 08:24 AM

Wednesday and Thursday I drove from Mackay to Brisbane, not much traffic on the road but plenty of trucks around. Mackay was covered in smoke haze from the fire up in the valley. Coming into Rocky the heat from the fire out past Gracemere was intense, very windy, very hot (I think it was about 42deg at 2pm) Driving the Perentie was uncomfortable with the side wind blowing onto my face (windows are at home) and I didn't really want to drive in it but didn't want to hang around either. Not too far south of Rocky there was other fires and a water bomber working, a couple of fires closer to the highway. I got through Miriam Vale just before they closed it - lots of smoke around there.

By the time I pulled up for the day I was black with ash and soot! I'd not even SEEN an actual fire all day, just smoke everywhere.

For someone who hasn't been near bushfires of this magnitude before the whole trip was pretty eerie and surreal, I'm just glad that I wasn't really effected and I can imagine how stressful and scary being involved with that situation would be.

Bearman, did you get effected by that fire at Campwin beach at all? that's not that far from you really.

4bee

1st December 2018, 10:32 AM

Update.

Another 21 CFS (odd no?) Firefighters + Ambulance Officer from SA, flying out this arvo to assist.

bob10

3rd December 2018, 08:28 PM

The short video is frightening.

Farmer fights off 12-metre tall flames as bushfire threatened his home and mango trees - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-30/queensland-bushfires-farmer-fights-fire-to-save-mango-crop/10571822?utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=email&utm_content=&utm_campaign=%5bnews_sfmc_rural_df_!n1%5d%3a8940&user_id=c17365ab07572ed90614d245ada5ad675f6bc00189 fa766123c70d76d1d7cddf&WT.tsrc=email&WT.mc_id=Email%7c%5bnews_sfmc_rural_df_!n1%5d%7c89 40RuralMail_ArticleLink)

bob10

3rd December 2018, 09:24 PM

More video of the fires.

Man remanded over deliberate Qld bushfire (https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/man-remanded-over-deliberate-qld-bushfire/ar-BBQpmJP?ocid=spartandhp)

LRT

3rd December 2018, 10:49 PM

This is what it was like for us back in March:

Noticed fire in the East at 9:30PM. Gale force winds.

https://www.aulro.com/mobile-gallery/37801d0d60248890b45724596e8cc5b0.jpg

Decided to get ready incase of a wind change and noticed a fire coming from the North directly at us around 10PM.

https://www.aulro.com/mobile-gallery/7666fe829508eafb3277d8ec5cd0b710.jpg

A couple of minutes later the fire was upon us. The bluegum plantation exploded in a ball of fire like a huge petrol bomb & the air exploded and covered 3 km in seconds.

This pic is just after driving out through a burn over & is also the very last pic of our home.

https://www.aulro.com/mobile-gallery/3810fa5095305be418455d625167fe28.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/mobile-gallery/4fae967adb4d7d256df3df39c1364114.jpg

This wasn’t even a heavily forested area either. The bluegum plantation & the constant wind was like a huge leaf blower on everything. Nothing you can do about it in those conditions.

DiscoClax

3rd December 2018, 11:09 PM

Jeebus. Thanks for sharing that. And sorry for your loss. Makes you think. The Black Saturday fires here in Vic started only a few kms from our home (just over the hill behind us) and burned away from us. When the change came through the front was far enough away that it went past us. But the sky was red that night. Totally made us rethink the fight or flee decision. Any chance of something like that again and we're outta there...

DiscoMick

4th December 2018, 07:15 AM

Yeah, don't hang around - just flee. And pay your insurance.

bob10

4th December 2018, 08:22 AM

I love a sun burned country....... now, flash floods may be the problem. Mother Nature is not happy.

Thunderstorms could cause flooding near Queensland bushfires (https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/thunderstorms-could-cause-flooding-near-queensland-bushfires/ar-BBQrxg3?ocid=spartandhp)

4bee

4th December 2018, 09:42 AM

More video of the fires.

Man remanded over deliberate Qld bushfire (https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/man-remanded-over-deliberate-qld-bushfire/ar-BBQpmJP?ocid=spartandhp)

There must be plenty of blackened walls & burnt posts to put him up against whilst wearing a blackened Blindfold before cutting off his knackers & shooting him, in that order.

There would be plenty of folk willing to do such deeds.

Bigbjorn

4th December 2018, 09:57 AM

Good friends were burnt to the ground in the Mt. Macedon fires of a few years ago. He is a professional composer and his music and instruments were still in his Melbourne studio and his vintage car collection were still in Melbourne. They were still in the process of moving in to their new home when it was burnt. He told me dealing with the insurance company nearly had them both in psychiatric care.

bob10

6th December 2018, 08:53 AM

A message from the Queen.

The Queen and Prince Philip 'pay tribute' to Australians in a special, heartfelt message (https://www.msn.com/en-au/entertainment/celebrity/the-queen-and-prince-philip-pay-tribute-to-australians-in-a-special-heartfelt-message/ar-BBQw68Z?ocid=spartandhp)

bob10

6th December 2018, 09:01 AM

The word " hero " is overused nowadays. But in the case of all the fire fighters and volunteers, well earned.

Deepwater residents find homes safe amid charred wasteland (https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/deepwater-residents-find-homes-safe-amid-charred-wasteland/ar-BBQw4J4?ocid=spartandhp)

4bee

6th December 2018, 09:40 AM

A message from the Queen.

Bloody Hell! I thought, what's Bob up to now.[biggrin][biggrin][biggrin][biggrin]:unsure:

I agree bad forestry management has a hell of a lot to do with it.

Here Parks & Wildlife can carry out burns in National Parks on certain days but a Land Owner can't seem to get permission to do the same, but get told you have to clear the native bush & trees up to 5m from the boundary but then you get resistance from another group about not damaging the natural environment.

Back in the olde days this area was burnt off regularly but not now & it went through Ash Wednesday in '83. we still have a discoloured South facing Sitting Room Sash window so that is how close it came. We bought this place in '87 & have endeavored to keep it as tidy as possible with a good water supply.

More Fire access tracks have gone in & are now maintained whereas previously, crews would find trees down & fly tipping had taken place blocking access to the existing tracks.
Oh yes, the Emergency Services Levee was also introduced later which seems to have raked in billions for the Govt to spend elsewhere ie. Junkets, perks etc. but initially it did provide improved Fire Fighting Equipment Vehicles, BA, Training, Aerial fire fighting assets etc etc. Gone were the old WW2 Blitz waggons of that era.

Aprox. 3 years ago a neighbour up the road "absentmindedly" lit a small fire on a TOTAL FIRE BAN DAY. Within a couple of minutes there were 2 x Air Tractors from Woodside strip circling overhead & the local Brigade was on scene not to mention a Cop Car. I hope they handed out a big penalty & that he didn't get off lightly.

DiscoMick

6th December 2018, 09:57 AM

4bee

6th December 2018, 10:16 AM

The word " hero " is overused nowadays. But in the case of all the fire fighters and volunteers, well earned.

You are right you know.

They, Sports people, choose to do their thing & mostly get well, if not Overpaid, for doing something they enjoy doing, besides, it's the bloody media who build up all that rubbish so they believe their own publicity & image.

DiscoMick

6th December 2018, 03:13 PM

Yeah, I reckon the real heroes are the volunteers risking their lives for the community.

bob10

6th December 2018, 05:00 PM

Bloody Hell! I thought, what's Bob up to now.[biggrin][biggrin][biggrin][biggrin]:unsure:

I agree bad forestry management has a hell of a lot to do with it.

Here Parks & Wildlife can carry out burns in National Parks on certain days but a Land Owner can't seem to get permission to do the same, but get told you have to clear the native bush & trees up to 5m from the boundary but then you get resistance from another group about not damaging the natural environment.

Back in the olde days this area was burnt off regularly but not now & it went through Ash Wednesday in '83. we still have a discoloured South facing Sitting Room Sash window so that is how close it came. We bought this place in '87 & have endeavored to keep it as tidy as possible with a good water supply.

More Fire access tracks have gone in & are now maintained whereas previously, crews would find trees down & fly tipping had taken place blocking access to the existing tracks.
Oh yes, the Emergency Services Levee was also introduced later which seems to have raked in billions for the Govt to spend elsewhere ie. Junkets, perks etc. but initially it did provide improved Fire Fighting Equipment Vehicles, BA, Training, Aerial fire fighting assets etc etc. Gone were the old WW2 Blitz waggons of that era.

Aprox. 3 years ago a neighbour up the road "absentmindedly" lit a small fire on a TOTAL FIRE BAN DAY. Within a couple of minutes there were 2 x Air Tractors from Woodside strip circling overhead & the local Brigade was on scene not to mention a Cop Car. I hope they handed out a big penalty & that he didn't get off lightly.

I have waved to the Queen, from the deck of the Brisbane , back in' 77. AND, she waved back, just to me. I'm sure of it. We also met Lord Louis Mountbatten, just before the IRA blew him up. We have form in that regard, Hailie Salassie, Emperor of Ethiopia, had dinner on Perth, before being deposed, and the Shah Of Iran was deposed, just after we visited IRAN. Nothing to do with fires, of course. Australia has an excellent Rural Fire Brigade, out of necessity, the professionals are very good as well.

weeds

6th December 2018, 05:08 PM

What about truckies

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181206/57aefd289a8ce696002f3259c1dce728.jpg

V8Ian

6th December 2018, 07:10 PM

What about truckies

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181206/57aefd289a8ce696002f3259c1dce728.jpg
And how he was bagged by tne ignorant.

Arapiles

6th December 2018, 08:00 PM

4bee

6th December 2018, 08:09 PM

I have waved to the Queen, from the deck of the Brisbane , back in' 77. AND, she waved back, just to me. I'm sure of it. We also met Lord Louis Mountbatten, just before the IRA blew him up. We have form in that regard, Hailie Salassie, Emperor of Ethiopia, had dinner on Perth, before being deposed, and the Shah Of Iran was deposed, just after we visited IRAN. Nothing to do with fires, of course. Australia has an excellent Rural Fire Brigade, out of necessity, the professionals are very good as well.

Hell Bob, bad luck certainly followed you around[biggrin]

I'm sure HM the Q did wave to just you. Did she say....."Well, hellooooo Sailor? Who could resist a young Jolly Jack Tar in Bell bottoms with a load of dosh in his money belt out looking for a good time?

[smilebigeye]

Speaking of HM the Q this arrived here yesterday & made oi laugh..

bob10

6th December 2018, 09:35 PM

Hell Bob, bad luck certainly followed you around[biggrin]

I'm sure HM the Q did wave to just you. Did she say....."Well, hellooooo Sailor? Who could resist a young Jolly Jack Tar in Bell bottoms with a load of dosh in his money belt out looking for a good time?

[smilebigeye]

Speaking of HM the Q this arrived here yesterday & made oi laugh..

We should never disrespect the Queen. I swore an oath to fight her enemies, If I had known how many bloody enemies she had, I may have become a fire fighter.

4bee

7th December 2018, 08:10 AM

I knew her Dad.[bighmmm] Well sort of.

If the youngest Royal, Harry doesn't lift his game with his new missus I reckon the UK populace will be losing respect.

He seems a very changed young man.

bob10

9th December 2018, 10:06 AM

Well done the volunteers.

'You just have to put your hand up': The volunteer firies who dropped everything to help in Queensland (https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/other/you-just-have-to-put-your-hand-up-the-volunteer-firies-who-dropped-everything-to-help-in-queensland/ar-BBQxKCo?ocid=spartandhp)

bob10

9th December 2018, 10:35 AM

Victorian fire deliberately lit, say Police. That fire moves very fast over the grass, in front of the wind.

Police fear Victorian blaze was ‘deliberately lit’ (https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/police-fear-victorian-blaze-was-‘deliberately-lit’/ar-BBQEo1x?ocid=spartandhp)

LRJim

9th December 2018, 11:49 AM

Eevo

9th December 2018, 11:53 AM

They always are unfortunately...

thats not true.
arson makes up a small percentage of fire cause.

LRJim

9th December 2018, 12:25 PM

thats not true.
arson makes up a small percentage of fire cause.Driving through long grass with a hot car is deliberate enough for me, plus it goes lightning strikes then arson. Don't know what small percentage your looking at [emoji16]

LRJim

9th December 2018, 12:25 PM

Here you go https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181209/bdcfa9f80509f2b75a225c144f51284a.jpg

4bee

9th December 2018, 12:45 PM

Driving through long grass with a hot car is deliberate enough for me, plus it goes lightning strikes then arson followed closely by cigarette butts. Don't know what small percentage your looking at [emoji16]

Yer right yer know James, especially with hot CAT converters. The awful Eyre Peninsular fire of a few years ago was started like this while still on the side of the road.

V8Ian

10th December 2018, 06:28 PM

An interesting article.

Inside the mind of an arsonist - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-10/brendan-sokaluk-inside-the-mind-of-an-arsonist/10464234)

bob10

10th December 2018, 10:03 PM

A frightening article.

Eevo

10th December 2018, 11:42 PM

Here you go https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181209/bdcfa9f80509f2b75a225c144f51284a.jpg

i dont agree with those numbers. whats your source?

LRJim

11th December 2018, 05:57 AM

i dont agree with those numbers. whats your source?Lol that was straight off wiki, have a look at this one then from the institute of criminology. Not much difference really The number of fires and who lights them | Australian Institute of Criminology (https://aic.gov.au/publications/bfab/bfab059)

Erik68

11th December 2018, 07:26 AM

Yer right yer know James, especially with hot CAT converters. The awful Eyre Peninsular fire of a few years ago was started like this while still on the side of the road.Particular filters ,DPF, on vehicles are even worse. CFA have started grass fires with some of their trucks. We must get off the fire ground when the truck needs to do a regeneration burn.

JDNSW

11th December 2018, 08:34 PM

Locally, from my experience, the most common origin is lightning by far. Used to be a number started by deliberate torching of stolen cars, but this seems not to happen locally anymore.

Some have been started by agricultural operations, most commonly slashing, but also harvesters, rarely other machinery, and also by agricultural and RFS deliberate burns getting away. In the same category probably would be welding or cutting outside on a bad day. One of the fires I attended was started that way by ARTC.

I know of one local fire that started by the bottom of a broken bottle acting as a lens.

A very few have started by the roadside, possibly cigarette or cat converter, but not really known. None of these had any indication of being deliberate.

I know of no local fires started by campfires, but one was started by ashes emptied from a kitchen stove.