QPWS has welcomed the support from Canberra rangers and rural firefighters
Rangers and Rural Firefighters from Canberra have joined Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) rangers in the ongoing fight against bushfires in national parks and state forests.
This is the first time the QPWS has directly received interstate support to help rangers battle fires in Queensland's protected areas and compliment QPWS skills in fire management.
The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) strike team, made up of seven ACT Parks and Conservation Service rangers and four ACT Rural Fire Service volunteer firefighters, landed in Brisbane on Saturday morning.
They are now working alongside QPWS, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and local landholders to fight fires and begin recovery operations where possible in Girraween National Park.
They bring with them additional experience similar to Queensland rangers in fire management specific to protected areas, including aerial surveying, advanced and arduous firefighting, mapping and heavy-plant operations.
QPWS South West Acting Regional Director Rachel Chesher said Queensland rangers were incredibly grateful for the additional support from Canberra.
"Rangers have been working tirelessly with our partners to fight fires from the southwest to the far north, and our response continues to contain these blazes," Ms Chesher said.
"Across Queensland, more than 400 thousand hectares of protected area has been burnt so far this fire season, which could have been much worse if not for our extensive Statewide planned burn program and the dedication of our rangers.
"QPWS conducted more than 530 fuel reduction burns and other fuel reduction or hazard mitigation treatments across the state, including an additional 100 burns compared to last year.
"This extra support from the ACT will allow some of our local crews to take a well-earned break from near-constant fire response duties and give us a hand in protecting these environmentally and culturally significant areas.
"QPWS would like to thank QFES, DAF, the RFS and landholders across the state who have assisted with our fire response."
Between August and October, QPWS responded to 210 bushfires across Queensland, of which 188 impacted protected areas.
ACT Parks and Conservation Service Director of Fire Operations Christian Bihlmaier said the ACT strike team was geared up to support rangers where needed in the ongoing response to these fires.
"In the ACT we have a window where we're not as dry as our surroundings, so it's a good opportunity to deploy our staff and help other agencies out," Mr Bihlmaier said.
"The strike team is very keen to help out and to learn a bit more about land management in Queensland.
"When you go on deployment you just don't know what to expect, but we are here to help and hope that Queensland Parks gets a well-deserved break and recover from their hard work.
"So whatever we can do to make that happen, that's what we're here for."
Recent rain has also been a welcome reprieve for QPWS and will allow rangers to assess fire damage in some protected areas through patrols and fire scar mapping.
The ACT personnel will assist with these operations and are expected to remain in Queensland to support the QPWS until the end of the week.
National parks in impacted areas remain closed, or partially closed, due to current or recent fires.
For a full list of national park and forest closures, visit park alerts.
