Emergency crews brace for firestorm conditions

Thomas Morgan, Chris Honnery, Sophie Chirgwin, AAP, Chris Clarke, Jo Glover and Jacob Miley The Courier-Mail

The fire front has passed the roadway, although police have determined a number of burning trees which may still pose a threat to motorists.

10.30pm: QFES have advised residents of Deepwater, Baffle Creek, Rules Beach and Oyster Creek to leave now at 10:30pm.

“Currently as at 10.30pm Wednesday 28 November, an extremely large and intense fire is spreading in a southerly direction towards Coast Road. The fire could have a significant impact on the community,” QFES say.

“Fire crews are working to contain the fire but firefighters may not be able to protect every property. You should not expect a firefighter at your door. Power, water, and mobile phone service may be lost.”

Firefighters are conducting backburning operations in the vicinity of Rules Beach Road.

ROADS TO GRACEMERE STILL CLOSED

Rockhampton Regional Council said at 10.30pm Wednesday they are seeing a lot of messages that the roads to Gracemere have reopened – this is incorrect. Residents should not try and drive back into Gracemere.

Police have advised that the roads into Gracemere will remain closed overnight with roadblocks in place.

10pm: Residents of Mount Larcom township who have evacuated cannot return to their homes as the Bruce Highway remains closed as firefighters battle the intense blaze.

QFES has advised a bushfire has travelled through the Mount Larcom township, and residents east of the community need to be ready to follow their bushfire survival plan, and prepare to leave.

At 9pm, a bushfire passed through Mount Larcom and is travelling in a south easterly direction along the Gladstone Mount Larcom Rd and both sides of the Bruce Highway.

It is currently burning towards the Yarwun township.

A bushfire in Darlymple Heights could worsen and residents are being advised to prepare to leave.

At 9:20pm, a large fire was burning in an easterly and westerly direction towards Schumanns Rd and Chelmans Rd at Darlymple Heights.

Meanwhile the Rockhampton Local Disaster Management Group has tonight been advised by Queensland Fire and Emergency Service that no property has been damaged in Gracemere as a result of the fires – but the roads to Gracemere remain closed.

QFES has also advised the LDMG at the latest briefing that the fire has slowed down around Gracemere.

Around 400 evacuees have attended the shelter at the Rockhampton Showgrounds with Red Cross and Council staff on site.

A further update is expected to be provided later tonight on conditions.

8pm: Authorities have declared an emergency around the Gracemere area as a dangerous bushfire bears down on the township, 11km southwest of Rockhampton.

A Queensland Police statement said the declaration had been made under the Public Safety and Preservation Act at 3.50pm.

Residents of the area are being urged to evacuate to the Rockhampton Showgrounds and register themselves with police.

FREE ACCOMMODATION OFFERED FOR EVACUEES AND EMERGENCY SERVICES

Several homes and structures in Gracemere were at serious risk of burning to the ground as authorities warn heatwave conditions were likely to last until next week.

Firefighters are working hard to battle a blaze at Stanwell which was moving towards the area of Gracemere near Rockhampton. Residents there have also been told to leave.

At 7pm, about 80 per cent of the Gracemere community had “safely and sensibly” evacuated to the Rockhampton Showgrounds.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Katarina Carroll said the catastrophic bushfire posed a serious risk to homes and structures in the area.

“We’ve had close to 200 fires today,” she said.

“The early indications are, yes we are expecting (buildings to be affected). There are some structures that maybe on the outskirts of town already affected. In Kabra, we have seen that as well.

“What the difficulty I have is, we can’t make those damage assessment accurately until we get back in and the operations are taking place as we speak.”

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said hot conditions were likely to persist through until next week.

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“We expect to be in this heatwave until at least next Tuesday,” she said.

“It is going to be very serious conditions ... now until then.”

The Bureau of Meteorology’s Dianna Eadie said winds were forecast to ease tonight and there was less of a risk of further thunderstorms.

“We’re also losing potential for high based thunderstorms which could ignite more fires,” she said.

“There are still very high fire dangers across much of the state.”

TEMPERATURES SOAR AS HOT WESTERLY BLOWS

BATS FALL FROM SKY IN HEATWAVE

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has urged residents to follow all directions from authorities to evacuate.

He said the Commonwealth disaster assistance plan had been activated, with assistance to be provided by the Australian Defence Force and financial assistance will be on the way.

Firefighting services have been sent to the state from New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria and Western Australia.

Mr Morrison urged Gracemere residents to evacuate to Rockhampton if advised by authorities to do so.

“I know that will be very distressing to them and their families but know this. The entire country is coming to your aid. The entire country is there to help in this time of great need,” he said.

“The messages that I think are important to Australians today, and particularly Queenslanders, up in north Queensland, and central Queensland, is to simply take the advice. You can rebuild a home but you can’t rebuild a family.”

He said the ADF at Amberley had been providing support so far, as had seven aircraft from NSW.

Financial assistance has also been triggered through joint disaster recovery funds.

“They’ve been activated, particularly in areas of Gladstone, and that provides financial support for personal hardship and distress and assisting in a number of the counter disaster operations that have been provided by the Queensland government.”

Mr Morrison said neither he or the Deputy Prime Minister had immediate plans to visit the area.

“The advice to us is that we need people to focus on the firefighting effort and the firefighting response, so we will continue to monitor and manage things from - in terms of the Commonwealth’s response from Canberra, and working closely with emergency management Australia,” he said.

A small piece of good news emerged from the Deepwater fire, with the QFES at 6.20pm downgrading the bushfire warning for Baffle Creek and Deepwater areas from ‘Emergency Situation’ to ‘Watch and Act’ by the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service.

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services’ Rural Fire Service has declared the Capricornia and Central Highlands and Coalfield regions as under a catastrophic fire danger, the highest level on the scale.

Eight thousand people are being evacuated from Gracemere, near Rockhampton, with Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Katarina Carroll saying the state was at catastrophic fire conditions.

Paramedics are evacuating around 80 elderly people from a retirement home in Gracemere. It is understood 20 require mini-bus transportation and will be taken to Rockhampton Showgrounds.

Rockhampton SES controller Eddie Cowie said there are two fire fronts bearing down on Gracemere and Stanwell near the Capricornia Highway.

“This fire will only significantly increase with its intensity,” Mr Cowie said.

The fires have caught the region by surprise, he said, causing a lot of concern.

But residents have been asked to remain calm.

Gracemere has never seen a mandatory evacuation in its 150-year history.

“We have never ever in this state been in this situation before,” Commissioner Carroll said.

“We’ve not had a catastrophic level. This is uncharted waters.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk this afternoon said the state was experiencing never-before-seen fire conditions in the state.

“This is the first time we have had this category in Queensland,” she said.

“Unprecedented, uncharted.

“There is a fast-moving fire from Stanwell to Gracemere.

“We are announcing an evacuation from Gracemere to Rockhampton.

“The conditions are catastrophic. We need an ordered evacuation from Gracemere to the Rockhampton Showgrounds.”

Close to 200 bushfires are burning across the state, with several having destroyed several properties.

Twenty-nine state schools have been closed across central Queensland at the request of emergency services as conditions worsen in the region, and will remain closed tomorrow.

Catholic and independent schools have also indicated their schools in affected zones will not open.

Full details can be found here.

BRUCE HIGHWAY CLOSED NEAR GLADSTONE

Residents of a township in the Gladstone Region has been told to leave their homes immediately as a bushfire approaches Ambrose.

The “fast-moving intense fire” is travelling in a south-easterly direction towards Mount Larcom and is currently impacting Taylors Lane only three kilometres from the township.

The fire is expected to have a significant impact on the community.

Meanwhile, Queensland police have advised the Bruce Highway is completely closed in both directions in a township in the Gladstone Region.

The highway completely closed from Taylors Lane south to the Mount Larcom township.

QPS urge people to consider stopping at an alternate township.

DANGEROUS CONDITIONS PERSIST

Emergency services are warning that lightning strikes from thunderstorms in the Capricornia and Central Highlands and Coalfields regions have the possibility to produce very dangerous fire weather conditions.

These fires have the potential to rapidly become dangerous due to strong winds, and emergency services are reinforcing the message that the fire danger won’t relent until late in the evening.

Four other regions along the Queensland east coast are under severe fire conditions.

Families affected by bushfires near Rules Beach and Baffle Creek will be eligible for financial assistance.

The State Government has announced packages ranging from $180 for individuals and up to $900 for families who have lost their homes or possessions.

FIRES SPREAD TO STATE’S SOUTHEAST

A bushfire has started near Main Beach on North Stradbroke Island this afternoon, with authorities telling residents to regularly check for updates.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services said the fire was in the vicinity of Eighteen Mile Swamp, south of Alfred Martin Way, near Main Beach at 3.25pm.

“People in the area will be affected by smoke, which will reduce visibility and air quality,” a QFES statement said.

“Properties are not under direct threat at this time. Call Triple Zero (000) immediately if you believe you or your property is under threat.”

Emergency services are also warning residents of the Gold Coast suburb of Oxenford to be ready to leave their homes after a bushfire began burning through bushland near homes.

A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services statement at 4.55pm urged residents in the Gold Coast suburb to be prepared for the worst.

At 4.55pm, the fire was burning east from the corner of Yallaroi Rd and Kopps Rd toward Sturt St and Bass Court.

GET OUT NOW: RESIDENTS TOLD TO LEAVE COMMUNITIES NEAR MACKAY

Residents in the town of Carmila, south of Mackay, are the latest in the state to be urged to leave their homes.

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services at 6.10pm tonight released an alert telling residents to execute their bushfire survival plan or evacuate.

“Currently as at 6.10pm on Wednesday 28 November, a dangerous and unpredictable fire is burning near Carmila West Road, travelling in a westerly direction towards Barbours Road and Leichardt Creek Road,” the statement said.

Those areas were likely to be impacted within two hours.

Residents in Dalrymple Heights – west of Mackay – were earlier advised to leave the area and not return as a large fire is burning near Blacks Rd.

The fire is spreading in an easterly and westerly direction towards Schumanns Rd and Chelmans Rd and could have a significant impact on the community.

QFES warn that firefighters may not be able to protect every property.

Residents in the area will be affected by smoke, which will reduce visibility and air quality.

“People need to evacuate via Mackay Eungella Rd in an easterly direction,” QFES warns.

RESIDENTS REFUSING TO LEAVE

Residents of the small Queensland fishing community of Rules Beach who are refusing to evacuate have been told by frustrated police they could “burn to death” when a massive bushfire reaches the area.

More than 1000 people had already left their homes near the Deepwater fire, south of Agnes Water on the state’s central coast, as of this morning. But many others are ignoring pleas to flee to safety and some residents are in the direct path of the inferno, even after police banged on their doors last night.

Among them is a Queensland fruit grower who is preparing to battle a massive bushfire racing towards his orchard at Deepwater as authorities urgently warn his neighbours they need to evacuate if they want to survive.

Macadamia grower Robert Griffith says a hot north north-easterly wind is blowing the fire, which is just three kilometres away, towards the property.

“The wind is hot and dry, you can smell the fire, you can see the embers flying across and the whole farm is littered with burnt leaves from the past couple of days,” he said.

“As the crow flies it’s only three kilometres away, we’ve probably got half an hour to an hour.”

Mr Griffith said nine staff would stay and fight the approaching blaze but their families have moved out of the fire ground.

The team is setting up fire pumps and spray rigs that draw on the dam and creek, he said.

“Everyone is pretty tired but we’re a close-knit team, so everyone’s spirits are really high,” he said.

REFUSING TO LEAVE

Around 50 properties in the area have residents who are refusing to leave, which is frustrating authorities.

Deputy Police Commissioner Bob Gee said officers were doing a final sweep of the area, but after that residents would be on their own.

“If you have children with you, you need to think really hard about not losing a house, but losing the people you care most about,” Mr Gee said.

“People will burn to death. Their normal approaches probably won’t work if this situation develops the way it is predicted to develop. It is no different to a Category 5 cyclone coming through your door.

“The beach may not be a safe option. Leave now.”

There are concerns Hills Road Bridge, which is the only land bridge connecting the area, will be destroyed in the fire, cutting off any chance of escape for locals who remain.

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Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the group will have a one-hour window to use a small access bridge and road to leave.

That bridge and road is expected to be closed as conditions heat up about midday.

“You need to leave now,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

EVACUEES HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY’LL COME HOME TO

Rules Beach and Deepwater residents who were forced to flee to Miriam Vale say authorities aren’t telling them anything.

Residents who spoke to The Courier-Mail say they have attended two community meetings in recent day but still have no idea whether their homes are still standing or not.

One resident, who did not want to be named, said authorities were being “top secret” about the current situation.

She felt the “political” nature of the emergency was preventing local officials from telling residents everything.

A community meeting is expected in Miriam Vale at 2pm.

PEOPLE LEAVING BY BOAT

The warning to evacuate has prompted some residents to consider fleeing by boat, while some are being removed from Rules Beach via SES boat.

The boats are understood to be picking up trapped residents who failed to make it out of Rules Beach via road this morning. They are being taken to the southern side of Baffle Creek, The Courier-Mail has been told.

Sally Ehrlich runs the Baffle Creek Caravan Park, and has so far declined to leave, saying the park is well-cleared and not prone to fire. Around nine people are currently at the park, which backs onto Baffle Creek itself.

Ms Ehrlich says the creek is their emergency escape route.

“We’ve got boats galore,” she said.

“We’d be getting people out on the boats, over to Winfield (across the creek), that’s the best we can do.

“We’d have to wait for a lot more fire yet, for us (to leave).”

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“The beach is not going to be safe.

“The window for them to leave is closing fast. We expect a wind change and the fire is increasing dramatically.”

AMBROSE RESIDENTS TOLD TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY

Residents of the small central Queensland town of Ambrose, west of Gladstone, have been told to leave immediately by emergency services as bushfires continue to ravage that part of the state.

The bushfire warning, released at 1.55pm by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, said that there was a blaze approaching the townships of Ambrose and Mt Larcom.

RESIDENTS WHO STAY ‘RISKING DEATH’

Fire and Emergency Services Minister Craig Crawford also said residents who stayed were risking death by staying put.

“We are expecting a bad day, there’s no easy way to say that,” he told ABC radio this morning.

“What we’re expecting in Queensland today is the kind of conditions (that other states) have seen in the past — these are the kind of days where people could lose their lives.”

The bushfire alert has been upgraded to an emergency warning and QFES is urging local media to use the standard emergency warning signal over the air.

Fire and Emergency Services Minister Craig Crawford said the conditions in the area reminded him of the Ash Wednesday fires in Victoria which he experienced first-hand as a firefighter.

“I’m sure that some people have probably got very good and elaborate systems of pumps and dams and systems and they believe that ‘I’ll be OK and I know what I’m doing and I’ve done this before,’” Mr Crawford said.

“Today is not one of those days. Today is different. We are expecting a firestorm.”

The firestorm would likely create “dead man zones” which would be impossible to survive, even in a car.

“That’s basically a space that you get into where the humidity, the temperature, the fire creates its own weather cell and it becomes an area that is almost unlivable for a short period of time,” Mr Crawford said.

“It’s the kind of conditions that could consume a vehicle very fast … if we get through today and we haven’t had them we will be so fortunate it isn’t funny.”

It comes as Queensland Fire and Emergency Service chief superintendent Paul Sheath confirmed at least one home was lost last night around Baffle Creek.

He said “about 20 to 30 per cent” of the community is refusing to leave.

They are either underestimating the blaze or do not want to leave their pets.

“Find shelter, try and fight the fire, enact your bushfire plan and call triple-0,” Supt Sheath said.

“It might be too late if you’re in that situation.”

Last night proved fruitful for tireless firefighters who built strong containment lines around the fire.

The fire barely moved last night but today is expected to be the worst this week.

Strong gusty conditions and a storm are highly likely to see the fire burst through containment lines.

More than 80 fires are burning across the state, but the Deepwater fire and another at Dalrymple, west of Mackay, are of the most concern.

The extremely large and intense fire at Deepwater is expected to impact Baffle Creek, Rules Beach and Oyster Creek this morning.

“We are just asking those residents that are choosing to stay in place, we are trying to advise them that their safest option is not to be there,” QFES Assistant Commissioner Gary McCormack told Nine Network.

“We cannot guarantee that we will hold that fire under the conditions that we are currently experiencing. So their safest option is to not be with their property. Life preservation must be their highest priority at this stage.”

QFES Commissioner Katarina Carroll said it was incredibly frustrating to have to continually urge residents to leave a clearly dangerous situation.

“We predicted that the circumstances and conditions today were going to be horrific,” Ms Carroll said.

“I’ve got to say, I’m getting a little bit frustrated about delivering the message constantly to leave now. So I implore once more, that you leave now.”

Interstate crews arrived yesterday to help fight the inferno in central Queensland that’s destroyed homes and burnt through at least 20,000 hectares of bush and farmland since Saturday.

Eight aircraft, including a massive waterbombing plane, which can dump 15,000 litres at a time, are also fighting the fire.

More crews from South Australia are expected to arrive today, and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has indicated she may seek assistance from the army.

6.30am: RESIDENTS TOLD TO LEAVE AS FIRESTORM APPROACHES

QUEENSLAND is bracing for unprecedented fire conditions today, as more than 80 fires burn around the state.

The communities of Deepwater and surrounds on the Central Queensland coast were told to leave immediately as the bushfire continued to advance.

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services this morning updated their warning to “leave immediately” for residents of Deepwater, Baffle Creek, Rules Beach and Oyster Creek.

“Leaving immediately is the safest option, as it will soon be too dangerous to drive,” the warning said.

“If you are not in the area, do not return, as conditions are too dangerous.”

The QFES said “an extremely large and intense fire is travelling in a south-westerly direction towards Muller Road. It is expected to impact Baffle Creek, Rules Beach and Oyster Creek in the coming hours. The fire is expected to have a significant impact on the community.

“All Deepwater, Baffle Creek, Rules Beach and Oyster Creek residents should evacuate in a westerly direction towards Miriam Vale using Tableland Road and Fingerboard Road.

“The crossing at Hills Road, Coast Road and Oyster Creek Road, Baffle Creek was under threat, but firefighters have managed to prevent the fire spreading to the crossing at this time.

“Conditions are now very dangerous and firefighters may soon be unable to prevent the fire advancing. The fire may pose a threat to all lives directly in its path.

“Fire crews may not be able to protect your property. You should not expect a firefighter at your door: act now.

“Power, water, and mobile phone service may be lost and road conditions may become very dangerous over the next several hours.”

The QFES this morning reissued a warning for Dalrymple Heights, telling residents to leave now if they didn’t have a bushfire survival plan.

As at 5am the “large fire” was travelling from Boons Road towards Chelmans Road, north of Dalrymple Heights. It continues to impact Snake Road and Chelmans Road. The fire could have a significant impact on the community, the QFES warned.

Fire crews worked throughout the night to protect properties along Snake Road and Chelmans Road and will be on scene again today but the QFES told residents not to expect firefighters at their door and encouraged residents to leave.

It comes after the Premier yesterday urged affected residents to leave and briefed every Queensland mayor ahead of extreme conditions expected today.

“I know that some people may not want to leave their homes. I know that this is an extremely difficult situation but I need you to please, please, listen to authorities and you must leave immediately,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Tuesday afternoon.

Extreme conditions are expected across the state on Wednesday as the heatwave continues.

Of particular concern, is a trough moving from the west towards the coast.

“That’s generating thunderstorms and lightning, but not a lot of rain unfortunately. So those dry lightning strikes are a chance to ignite further fires as it moves towards the coast,” State Manager Queensland at Bureau of Meteorology Bruce Gunn said.

“It’s doing that inland (Tuesday) and closer to the coast (on Wednesday). There’s drier air behind that trough and that just increases the fire danger along with the instability creates a very potent and dangerous situation.”

QFES Inspector Andrew Sturgess said they were unprecedented conditions in Queensland.

“We have a combination of dangerous elements aligning (on Wednesday). Wind changes, instability, firestorm, lots of spotting ahead of fires, these are not any way just a bad day, these are record conditions, these are extreme conditions the likes that we have never seen before in Queensland.”

The government has made the rare step of briefing every mayor from around the state, in anticipation for these dangerous conditions on Wednesday.

QFES Commissioner Katarina Carroll said 107 staff from NSW had been deployed in the Agnes Water area (Tuesday) and more help was on the way.

Residents of Finch Hatton, in the Pioneer Valley west of Mackay, were able to return to their homes about 9.30pm, as there was no longer any threat to properties. Fire crews will remain on scene overnight.

One hundred extra officers will arrive from NSW in the coming days, while Ms Carroll said 225 officers had been requested from elsewhere.

“What we have is the combination of the most horrendous conditions in the next 48 hours,” she said.

“The combination of the climate, the heat, the fire is just absolutely horrendous.

“The heatwave is continuing past that for another few days. There is no rain in this, and there is no respite.”

The weather bureau has forecast extreme heatwave conditions from Thursday Island down to Toowoomba.

Towns from the Northern Territory border to the east coast are forecast to experience temperatures above 40C through until Monday. Townsville recorded its hottest November day yesterday, at 41.7C.

As central Queensland’s worst bushfire bore down on his property, Deepwater’s Mark Reiser only had time to grab a photo of his kids and his little mate, Emily the joey.

Mr Reiser is one of more than 1500 people displaced from the community of ­Deepwater, about 60km north of Bundaberg, by unprecedented bushfires.

Students and teachers were last night forced to take shelter inside at classroom at Eungella Primary School after road closures.

Sixty firefighters from South Australia, plus Incident Management Team staff and a Commander will fly to Queensland today to assist with the ongoing bushfire threat across the state.

The South Australian firefighter contingent is expected to leave Adelaide Airport today afternoon.