SURVIVOR FIRE GUILT
HINTERLAND residents who narrowly avoided losing their homes are struggling with “survivor guilt” after about 11 residences were gutted by bushfire.
Scenic Rim Mayor Greg Christensen said some members of the community “just can’t cope at the moment”.
Residents of Binna Burra began returning to their homes on Tuesday under police escort.
HINTERLAND residents who narrowly avoided losing their homes are struggling with “survivor guilt” after about 11 residences were gutted by bushfire.
The worst hit area was Timbarra Dve, Binna Burra where about 10 homes were badly damaged by fire late last week.
Scenic Rim Mayor Greg Christensen said some members of the community “just can’t cope at the moment”.
“The community have asked to be left to themselves for a couple of days,” he said.
“People are having survivor guilt because their house is standing and their neighbour’s isn’t”.
Residents of Binna Burra, about 46km south of Canungra, were allowed to return to their homes on Tuesday under police escort.
But Binna Burra Rd was closed again yesterday due to structural concerns, cutting off public access.
Mr Christensen said Transport and Main Roads had prioritised a “very complex” repair.
He was optimistic about Binna Burra’s future and said the community would rally in the aftermath.
“The new normal is something we’re going to discover and build together,” Mr Christensen said.
“We still need people to support us in the best way possible by contributing to our economy as we move forward in recovery.”
Mr Christensen hoped tourists would return to the Scenic Rim once the fire threat died down.
Two fires were still burning in the Scenic Rim yesterday afternoon, but conditions had eased.
A bushfire burning in the Canungra Defence Base – part of the major Sarabah fire – is slowly travelling in an easterly direction through inaccessible land towards Lower Beechmont.
Waterbombing aircraft were tasked to tackle it.
Another breakout of the Sarabah blaze at O’Reilly was burning near Lamington National Park Rd, between Sarabah Rd and Kamarun Lookout Rd.
Properties were not under threat.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Service (QFES) Assistant Commissioner Kevin Walsh said there were 200 firefighters on the ground yesterday, securing containment lines before the wind was expected to pick up tomorrow.
“Our intent there is to have as little fire on the ground as possible when the conditions change,” he said.
Hinterland brigades were given a much-needed break after “working tirelessly for a number of days”.
“Now’s the time to relax and have some rest while we have some assistance from interstate colleagues. Our third taskforce from out of state,” Asst Commissioner Walsh said.
Queensland Police Chief Superintendent Ben Marcus said Numinbah Correctional Centre remained closed and inmates were still under evacuation as a “precautionary measure”.
He said investigations were continuing into how the fires started but there was no basis in speculation on social media that out of control backburning led to the disaster.
THE NEW NORMAL IS SOMETHING WE’RE GOING TO DISCOVER AND BUILD TOGETHER MAYOR GREG CHRISTENSEN