Weather to bring reprieve

Crews monitor bushfires to city’s north, south, west

A CHANGE in weather conditions is expected to ease pressure on firefighters battling blazes to the north, south and west of Toowoomba.

Multiple Rural Fire Service and volunteer brigades spent yesterday and last night bolstering containment lines around a bushfire at Karara that ignited at the weekend.

Karara State School was closed to all students and staff yesterday due to the bushfire along Strathyre Rd, moving towards Toowoomba Karara Rd.

Leyburn, Cambooya, Greymare and Warwick brigades worked throughout the day conducting back-burning operations in an effort to contain the fire.

Residents north of Toowoomba were last night being urged to be mindful of smoke coming from a bushfire off the New England Highway at Mount Luke.

It was the third large-scale bushfire in the south-west region with QFES crews monitoring a blaze at Tara, south of Chinchilla.

Fire bans remain in place until midnight Tuesday across the south-west district due to the heightened fire danger.

But with cooler temperatures forecast for Toowoomba and parts of the region, the threat is expected to ease.

The more favourable conditions predicted across the state in coming days will see some fire bans reviewed and, in some cases, lifted.

Rural Fire Service Assistant Commissioner Gary McCormack said QFES was very thankful for the support received from landowners and the public.

He said decisions to lift fire bans were not made lightly, so it was essential that Queensland residents remain extra vigilant and take necessary precautions.

“Permits that were cancelled when bans were put in place, will not automatically be re-instated,” he said.

“It is essential to check with local fire wardens on a case-bycase basis, until more favourable conditions return.”

Information on fire bans and the exemptions that can found at ruralfire.qld.gov.au.