Chance to dig deep for our fire heroes
PEOPLE are being asked to give back to the brave men and women who have defended dozens of properties from intense bushfire in recent weeks.
A fundraiser is being held at the Bluewater Community Centre today from 4pm to support the rural fire brigades that have been working day and night to protect communities.
Dozens of business have donated prizes for a large raffle, there will be a huge barbe- cue cook- up and a number of political dignitaries and firefighters will attend.
The event comes as firefighters have taken control of the blazes that have ravaged rural areas to the north and west of Townsville.
Crews have battled the bushfires this past fortnight, with thousands of hectares of grassland destroyed but, importantly, no lives or structures lost.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services northern region bushfire safety officer Gordon Yorke said crews had “gotten on top of” fires in Hervey Range and Toolakea.
“We still have crews on the grounds that are monitoring and patrolling just to keep an eye on things,” Mr Yorke said. “We have very high fire weather and that’s expected for the rest of the week so that’s why we are maintaining resources on the ground.”
A third strike team of 15 firefighters from the south of the state has arrived in Townsville to provide relief services for local crews to manage fatigue.
Mr Yorke said the fire season was far from over but with these two large bushfires under control, it was a good time to acknowledge firefighters’ excellent work.
“It’s a credit to everybody involved considering that the fire behaviour was extreme,” Mr Yorke said. “Unfortunately, some rural properties lost grass, which is an important asset for members of these rural communities, but other than that to come out of this with just some minor burns to firefighters and no loss of structure is a credit to everybody involved.”
The Bluewater Community Association has organised the fundraiser and club president Rani Petersen said money raised would go towards equipment and other costs brigades face.
IT’S A CREDIT TO EVERYBODY INVOLVED CONSIDERING THAT THE FIRE BEHAVIOUR WAS EXTREME. GORDON YORKE