Crews battle bushfire
Blaze tears through 19,000ha
RURAL Fire Service crews will continue monitoring a large, out-of-control bushfire which has decimated more than 19,100 hectares near the Queensland-NSW border this week.
Firefighters monitored the blaze near Wallangarra last night with more crews to return to the area today to stop its spread in the region.
It follows extensive waterbombing operations yesterday on the Queensland side with two fixed-wing aircraft and a Helitack helicopter attacking the fire.
Additional aerial attack operations were also launched by the NSW Rural Fire Service as the fire raged in the southern state.
A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokeswoman said eight RFS crews were deployed to the incident throughout yesterday, cutting fire breaks and creating containment lines.
Those efforts were helped by a break in the weather, she said, which eased conditions for firefighters on the ground.
Residents in the area were briefed at the Eukey Community Hall for an update on the unfolding situation,
The QFES spokeswoman said the fire had posed no threat to property but had created a smoke hazard for residents in the area.
“This fire is producing large amounts of smoke from the New South Wales border to Eukey,” QFES said.
“This smoke is particularly affecting Wallangarra, Ballandean and Eukey.
“People in the area will be affected by smoke, which will reduce visibility and air quality.”
Residents in the vicinity of the fire have been told they should not use remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aerial vehicles in the area while water-bombing aircraft are in operation around the fire.
The fire danger rating for the Darling Downs and Granite Belt regions was revised down to “very high” yesterday with those conditions expected to continue to tomorrow when it is expected to drop to “high”.
See ruralfire.qld.gov.au for more details.