This was published 4 months ago
Influencer starts illegal fire, flies drone over campers on K’gari
Updated ,first published
An influencer has been fined for starting an illegal fire on K’gari.
Bridget Crosato was caught out after she uploaded a video of the act on the island, about 250 kilometres north of Brisbane.
She was fined $834 by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers.
Crosato, who is from the Sunshine Coast, uploaded a video to YouTube on October 13 titled Her first 4wd on Fraser Island (K’gari).
In the video, the content creator lit a fire next to where she and a friend had parked her 4WD.
Crosato also received a warning for using a drone to record video above a camping area, where the use of drones is restricted.
Fires on the island are prohibited unless lit in the provided fire rings at Dundubara and Waddy Point camping areas.
Content creators were not exempt from the rules, and they were not official sources of information when it came to K’gari regulations, senior ranger Chad Hoult said.
“Disregarding these rules poses a serious threat to K’gari’s delicate environment, unique wildlife and rich cultural heritage,” Hoult said.
“Illegal fires can quickly become bushfires that impact the island’s natural and cultural values and put lives at risk.
“We are lucky this wasn’t the case with this fire, however we have seen illegal campfires become significant bushfires on Mulgumpin [Moreton Island] and at Teewah.
“The QPWS is committed to protecting our spectacular national parks, ensuring they remain safe and enjoyable now and into the future.”
A blaze scorched more than half the World Heritage-listed site in 2020, with almost 1 million litres of water and fire-retardant gel dropped by water-bombers onto the island in days.
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Dominique Tassell is a reporter at Brisbane Times.