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This was published 6 years ago

QLD fires LIVE: Crews continue to fight blazes across state

Toby Crockford, Tony Moore, Lydia Lynch and Jocelyn Garcia
Updated ,first published

What we know so far

  • Immediate evacuation orders are in place for Noosa North Shore on the Sunshine Coast, Kilkivan in the Gympie region and Woodgate in the Bundaberg region.
  • 74 bushfires are burning across Queensland, with 281 firefighting vehicles in attendance.
  • Temperatures in the mid-to-high 30s and wind gusts up to 40km/h will hamper firefighting efforts.
  •  A  water-bombing helicopter crashes near Toowoomba
  • A Beenleigh shopping centre closes due to a nearby bushfire threat

That's all from us for Wednesday

By Jocelyn Garcia

A pilot has escaped with minor injuries in a water-bombing helicopter crash and more than 70 bushfires triggered evacuations in Queensland.

Firefighters were brought in from interstate and overseas on Wednesday to help alleviate the pressures felt by Queensland firefighters, including some who have battled week-long fires.

There have been 14 homes lost throughout the state since Friday, with the number expected to grow.

A state of fire emergency was declared across 42 local government areas on Tuesday, banning all fires from being lit.

Buxton residents return home

By Jocelyn Garcia

Buxton residents are allowed to return to their homes after a bushfire was downgraded to a 'prepare to leave' level.

A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services warning said the fire, which jumped the Gregory River at Buxton was now burning withing containment lines at Devils Elbow Road.

Buxton Road has since reopened.

Weather conditions to worsen from Friday

By Jocelyn Garcia

The Bureau of Meteorology warns that fire danger rating warnings will drop on Thursday before they arise once more from Friday.

Meteorologist Lauren Pattie said weather conditions would ease before they would worsen.

"Today, fire dangers were elevated because it was hot, dry and windy and a wind change was moving through," she said.

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"Tomorrow it will be a tiny bit cooler and winds will drop back a bit and conditions in terms of fire dangers will ease back.

"Ratings will drop from today's rating, which was severe, to very high.

"Conditions will worsen a little bit around the south-east in coming days but there will still be very high fire dangers from Friday to Sunday."

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Scenic Rim to receive bushfire assistance

By Jocelyn Garcia

Scenic Rim will receive disaster assistance to help cover the costs of fighting the fires and help communities recover.

Federal Minister for Natural Disaster and Emergency Management David Littleproud said the support was in addition to bushfire assistance available for Livingstone and Noosa shires.

Queensland is battling at least 80 bushfires.Queensland Ambulance

"This can help those hardest-hit by providing food, clothing, shelter and medical supplies," he said.

Mr Littleproud said the funding provided through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, would also help cover costs of fighting fires and the clean-up process.

Volunteer firefighter reunited with family after marathon shift

By Lydia Lynch

After a 27-hour shift battling horror blazes in central Queensland, volunteer firefighter Temil Ludwig was welcomed home with loving arms by his wife and three daughters.

"They were really scared for him, they were crying all night and I didn’t want to show them that I was worried," wife Michelle Ludwig said.

Volunteer firefighter Temil Ludwig is greeted by his daughters after a 27 hour shift near Yeppoon. Michelle Ludwig

"His phone had died in the middle of the night so I didn’t even know if he was safe, the police knocked on our door at 2am and I just thought the worst.

"Thankfully they were just telling us to evacuate."

Latest list of bushfire warnings

By

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services have updated warnings on the bushfires across the state.

Here is the list:

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    'I'm safe, my house not so much'

    By Aaron Bunch and Robyn Wuth

    Emergency services said the unpredictable blaze is burning in the vicinity of Beach Road and the First Cutting, and may impact the Wallaby Track area.

    It's the same area where three homes were destroyed by a fast-moving fire in 2017, about a kilometre from the Noosa North Shore campground.

    Manager Leesa Downie said while many people had chosen to sit out the firestorm at the council's evacuation centre on Wallace Drive, she had headed to the local RSL for lunch.

    "There's a pokie promotion on, my daughter's here too and she's got a jackpot so the machine is going off its head over there," she said.

    "There's aircon, food and pokies, what more do you want?

    "I'm safe, my house not so much but you get that. Nothing I can do about it now."

    Escape by boat

    By Aaron Bunch and Robyn Wuth

    Residents and holidaymakers have piled onto boats to escape a large out of control bushfire whipped up by gusty winds on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

    Firefighters and water bombers battled the blaze that jumped containment lines at Noosa North Shore on the northern banks of the Noosa River on Wednesday afternoon.

    Firefighters extinguish spot fires in the suburb of Noosa North Shore.AAP

    "About two hours ago we thought we had it contained but the wind is terribly variable at the moment," Noosa mayor Tony Wellington said.

    "A change of wind means it's now spotting beyond containment lines."

    'Like a genie': Researchers scramble to adjust to rising fire extremes

    By Peter Hannam

    Record-setting bushfire activity in Australia this year suggests management approaches may no longer be "fit for purpose", particularly as climate change elevates risks.

    Homes and property destroyed in Hillville, NSW, in the past week.Nick Moir

    Governments in NSW and Queensland declared bushfire emergencies this week, with Sydney's fire danger ratings reaching catastrophic levels on Tuesday.

    Dozens of fires continued to burn on Wednesday.

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    Noosa North Shore resident escapes fire but home in danger

    By Lydia Lynch

    Residents forced to flee Noosa North Shore for a second time this week fear for their homes as fire laps at their front doors.

    Noosa North Shore Beach Campground manager Leesa Downey failed to make it home to protect photographs and furniture before ferries were shut-down on Wednesday morning.

    Leesa Downey could not make it to her home at Noosa North Shore as blazes closed in on Wednesday. The smoke is "quite close" to her house.

    “The campground has been closed for renovations recently but we had quite a lot of workman down there who were evacuated,” she said.

    “They had to drive past fire to get out, which is worrying.

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