The Rural Fire Service (RFS) is calling on central Queensland residents to ramp up their bushfire preparations before conditions worsen.
Central Region RFS Regional Manager Brian Smith said crews had responded to several bushfires over recent weeks that had highlighted the level of risk already in communities.
"Firefighters were called to blazes near Gladstone and Rockhampton and were surprised at how fast these spread for this time of year," Mr Smith said.
"This means that although some parts of the region look nice and green after having rain over the past few months, there is dry fuel for fires below the surface.
"Residents should take this information onboard, act while time is on their side and move to identify and reduce risks on their properties.
"This can involve putting in or strengthening fire breaks around sheds, homes, dams, crops and along fence lines, or it may be as simple as trimming trees, cutting lawns and cleaning gutters.
"The fire breaks not only serve to protect property but also provide our crews with paths to get around on if they need to respond to incidents in the area during the season."
Mr Smith's call to action extended to parts of Central Queensland that were not traditionally considered bushfire hotspots.
"Bushfire activity has trended closer to the coast in recent years and this has resulted in destructive blazes," he said.
"These include areas such as Cobraball, Deepwater, Eungella, Gracemere and others.
"It only takes one day of bad conditions for a bushfire to have a significant impact on a community, regardless of whether that area has a history of fires."
Visit www.ruralfire.qld.gov.au/ for information on how to prepare your properties.
