Queensland firefighters are preparing for what they say could be a significant bushfire season. Hazard reduction burns caused a thick smoke haze to settle across much of Brisbane in the past 24 hours, triggering an air quality warning. But firefighters say it’s a necessary part of preparations.
Hazard-reduction Burns Leave Smoke Over Brisbane
Queensland firefighters are preparing for what could be a significant bushfire season, and hazard reduction burns have caused a thick smoke haze to settle across much of Brisbane in the past 24 hours. The air quality warning has been triggered, but firefighters say it’s a necessary part of preparations.
Bushfire season in Queensland often begins in July and runs through until October, and can extend through to February. During late spring and early summer grass and forest fuels hold some moisture but fires can occur on hot days with strong winds. Fuels dry out in mid and late summer, increasing the risk of fire.
The Australian 2019/2020 bushfire season was one of the worst in recent times in the world. The season started in early November 2019 in New South Wales, where over 5 million hectares were burnt by more than 6,000 fires. This year, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) is urging people to prepare their homes for bushfires as soon as possible.
QFES Commissioner Katarina Carroll said that while hazard reduction burns are necessary to reduce fuel loads ahead of the bushfire season, they can cause smoke which may affect people’s health. “It’s important that everyone takes steps to protect themselves from smoke exposure during this time,” she said. “People should stay indoors if possible or limit their outdoor activities when smoke levels are high.”
Bushfire season goes from August to November, however if we suffer through another dry summer bushfire season could extend well into February. Already this year there have been several large blazes across South East Queensland which have destroyed thousands of hectares of land and threatened homes and lives.
QFES is encouraging everyone to get ready for the upcoming bushfire season by creating a Bushfire Survival Plan or downloading the QFES app for up-to-date information on fire activity near you.
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