Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) is planning a hazard reduction burn in coming days in a section of the Picnic Point parkland on Toowoomba's eastern escarpment in conjunction with Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES).
TRC Environmental Health portfolio leader Cr Tim McMahon said officers were planning to reduce the fuel load in a 7.5 hectare strip of bushland, extending from Table Top Drive north to Stevenson Street.
"As part of Council's wider fire mitigation program, it is important to seize the chance to conduct these hazard reduction burns to reduce fuel loads to lower the risk of wildfires when we can," Cr McMahon said.
"We had originally planned to conduct this burn earlier in the year, however conditions at that time proved non-favourable for this to occur and then an extended period of extreme dry weather prevented it.
"The aim now is to take advantage of the recent wet weather with QFES buoyed by fuel condition and the soil moisture present in the proposed burn area.
"Council is notifying landholders in the area immediately around the bushland park with the main burn likely to occur on Monday 11 and Tuesday 12 December subject to wind conditions," Cr McMahon said.
Cr McMahon said the following Picnic Point walking trails would be closed to the public and signed accordingly:
- Firetail Walk and Fantail Walk - The tracks that run from the top of Picnic Point to the bottom (will be closed at multiple top entrances),
- Picnic Point Bridle Trail/Stevenson Street - Dual trails that run along the bottom North/South between Table Top Drive and Stevenson Street, and
- Picnic Point to Table Top trail - Runs from Table Top across to Picnic Point. Meets Picnic Point halfway along the two North/South trails that will be closed.
The following trails will not be closed, but could experience smoke:
- Tobruk Drive or the trails that surround it at the top of the park,
- The trail that runs beneath the Picnic Point restaurant from Lions Park to Tobruk Drive, and
- Any trail along the top of Picnic Point parkland that doesn't extend over the escarpment.
Cr McMahon said corflutes advising of the burn and trail closures will be placed around the site ahead of the planned burn.
"I urge residents who live next to bushland or in rural areas to take necessary precautions on their property. Residents should have a bushfire survival plan and practise it with their family," Cr McMahon said.
"Depending on the wind speed and direction, residents in surrounding areas are advised to be aware of smoke in the area.
"People with respiratory or similar health conditions are advised to be aware of smoke in the coming days.
"Residents also should take necessary precautions to prevent smoke affecting washing and close windows where necessary," he said.
