RURAL FIRIES GUTTED

QFES stands down two officers

THE fire brigade at a beachside district ravaged by bushfires has not been on the front line after two officers were stood down just weeks before the flames took hold.

Toolakea Rural Fire Brigade has been powerless to defend its community as bushfires threatened homes and destroyed thousands of hectares of property in the past fortnight.

A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokeswoman confirmed two officers at the brigade had been stood down from officer positions in August due to “administrative matters”. As a result of these sanctions, the brigade was unable to form a functioning managing committee, resulting in the QFES having no choice but to place it into administration.

The move has left the future of the brigade in the region uncertain, with volunteers needed to step up into senior roles to restart the operation.

“The brigade will remain in administration until the future of the brigade is determined,” the QFES spokeswoman said.

“QFES has made operational arrangements for the Toolakea area to be serviced by an adjacent brigade and service delivery to the community has not been affected by these arrangements.”

In an incident unrelated to the officers’ sanctions, the QFES confirmed the Department of Natural Resources and Mines had investigated a firebreak constructed at Toolakea earlier this year.

Despite complaints being received, the break was found to comply with the Vegetation Management Act.

QFES Northern Region bushfire safety officer Gordon Yorke said the Toolakea community was not being left unprotected while the local brigade was unable to function.

He said crews from across the region had worked hard in the past two weeks to fight bushfires in the area and had only yesterday brought the situation under control.

The Toolakea blaze and subsequent fires north of Townsville, combined with large bushfire that started at Herveys Range west of the city has burnt through more than 15,500ha of bushland and rural properties.

Mr Yorke said there were seven investigations into suspicious fires, including two in the Toolakea area.

“It’s gutting for us and the locals who are there supporting their community and protecting their community,” Mr Yorke said.

“There is a suspicion fires are being intentionally lit repeatedly because we have guys attending jobs that are obviously not igniting through natural causes.

“We are working with the Queensland Police Service on these investigations and they will be carried out thoroughly.”

The QFES spokeswoman said there was no suspected link between the matters with the Toolakea Fire Brigade and the fires that were burning to the north of Townsville last week.

She said any fire still burning was on inaccessible land and would be left to burn out.

The forest fires that were raging around the region are finally out. Fires have hit areas around Herveys Range and Tookalea in the past fortnight.

More than 20,000ha of land was burnt but no homes were lost.

A QFES spokeswoman said firefighters had been stood down from battling the blazes that have been going on around Townsville the past fortnight and it was “totally done”.