Bushfire warning level: WATCH AND ACT
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) advises there is a bushfire in Mount Barney National Park and conditions could get worse.
There are separate bushfire warnings current for residents in Barney View and Mount Lindesay. Residents in these areas should follow instructions given in the bushfire warnings.
You need to be ready to follow your bushfire survival plan. If you do not have a plan, or intend to leave, you should be ready to leave the area because the situation could get worse quickly.
Currently as at 9.05am Sunday 17 November, a large, unpredictable bushfire with multiple fronts is continuing to burn in an inaccessible area of Mount Barney National Park, on both sides of the Queensland and New South Wales border. Please visit the NSW RFS page for more information specific to the bushfire in NSW: https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/
Part of the fire is travelling in a northerly direction towards Mount Lindesay Highway and Byrne Road, Richards Road, Cashell Road, Palen Creek School Road and Back Creek Road, Palen Creek.
Firefighters, with the assistance of waterbombing aircraft and heavy machinery, are working to contain the fire but may not be able to protect every property. You should not expect a firefighter at your door. There is a severe fire danger rating today and conditions could deteriorate quickly.
The Mount Lindesay Highway remains closed south of Rathdowney due to this fire. For more information on the closure, head here: https://qldtraffic.qld.gov.au/
People in the area will be affected by smoke, which will reduce visibility and air quality.
Call Triple Zero (000) immediately if you believe your property is under threat.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO:
• Listen to your local radio station or visit the Rural Fire Service (RFS) website for regular updates.
• If you have a bushfire survival plan, finalise it now so you are ready to follow it.
• If you do not have a bushfire survival plan, or if your plan is to leave, identify where you will go if you leave the area.
• Advise family and friends of your plan.
• Close windows and doors to minimise smoke exposure.
• If you suffer from a respiratory condition, keep your medication close by.
• Drive with caution in low visibility conditions.
• Contact your neighbours to see if they need help preparing for the bushfire.
• Pack important documents and essential items (e.g., passports, birth certificates, prescription medication, food and water, and protective clothing) in case you need to leave the area.
• Put on protective clothing (e.g., a long-sleeved cotton shirt, boots with thick soles).
• Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
• Bring pets inside; restrain them with a leash, a cage, or inside a secure room; and provide them with plenty of water.
• Take action to protect your livestock.
• Move flammable materials such as doormats, wheelie bins, and outdoor furniture away from your house.
• Fill containers such as your bath, sinks, and buckets with water so you have access to drinking water and firefighting water.
• Close windows and doors, sealing the gaps under doors and screens with wet towels to keep smoke out of the house.
KEEP UP TO DATE BY:
• Following QFES on Facebook (@QldFireandEmergencyServices) and Twitter (@QldFES)
• Staying tuned to your local radio station. Find your local ABC radio station at https://radio.abc.net.au/help/offline and your local commercial radio station at http://www.commercialradio.com.au/find-a-station/queensland;
• Visiting the Rural Fire Service (RFS) website at www.ruralfire.qld.gov.au/map
FURTHER INFORMATION:
• For bushfire preparation tips, visit the RFS website: www.ruralfire.qld.gov.au/BushFire_Safety
• For information about road closures, call 13 19 40 or visit www.qldtraffic.qld.gov.au
The next update will be provided by 11.05am or if the situation changes.
