Smoke cloud concerns
WESTERN Downs residents woke to the smell of smoke on Friday as it blanketed the region’s towns after drifting more than 100km from a fire burning at the Barakula State Forest.
Visibility in Chinchilla was so poor on Friday morning that residents could barely see just a few metres ahead due to the smoke from a controlled burn being managed by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.
Concerned residents from
Miles, Tara, and Chinchilla took to social media for answers as they had not received a warning about the smoky conditions.
The thick smoke posed a risk to those with underlying health conditions, such as asthma.
According to the National Asthma Council Australia, bushfire smoke can trigger asthma symptoms, causing wheezing, breathlessness, coughing and tightness of the chest.
A Department of Environment and Science spokeswoman said a smoke warning wasn’t issued to residents because “forecasts predicted that the smoke would drift away from populated areas”.
The spokeswoman said the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service was burning about 10,000ha of open forest and woodland as part of a yearly hazard reduction and conservation plan.
“Some grazing lessees of the Barakula State Forest are also conducting planned burns as part of their fire management plans,” she said.
“The aim of this burn is to reduce the volume of forest fuels and to create a mosaic pattern of burnt and unburnt areas.”
The spokeswoman said the fire was under control and eight crews monitored the blaze.
Western Downs fatherand-son duo Peter and Seth Gerke from Gerkies Storm Chasing were out capturing images of the smoke and took to Facebook to inform the community.
“Controlled fires have been lit across Barakula State Forest … before the wet season begins,” they said.
“Due to light winds and a huge high-pressure system dominating the atmosphere, this smoke lingers throughout the Western Downs causing thick coverage and danger to those with asthma.”
The smoke dissipated during the weekend.