Throw book at evil arsonists

THE full force of the law should come down on the arsonist or arsonists who have deliberately lit fires on the tinder-dry Tablelands.

At this stage the police are investigating whether a fire at Petford Station near Herberton was deliberately lit on Sunday morning.

Fire investigators are still getting to the bottom of the initial fire, which has been raging near Irvinebank for the past two weeks.

Herberton Sergeant John Sny says the two-week-old fire is the largest and most intense he has seen.

The fires have cost the community huge amounts of money to fight, with exhausted local crews being replaced by outside firefighters.

The fires have burnt through hundreds of hectares of bushland.

Fortunately there have been no serious property losses but firefighters, other emergency services personnel and residents have risked their lives to contain the blazes. There also have been risks to people’s health because of the intense smoke.

Arson is a serious crime and carries the maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

In the meantime residents and all involved are praying for rain.

It comes as the latest weather bureau figures show that some Far Northern areas have had the driest September for at least 20 years. In Cairns 7.6mm of rain was recorded.

We also need to get prepared for cyclones. Four are expected this season. Nick Dalton Deputy editor