‘Large amounts of smoke’ were seen at a rubbish fire, which was called in three minutes after midnight.
A ‘smoke alert’ remains in place this morning, 27 July, as residents in the Kingaroy and surrounding areas are urged to avoid smoke from the Luck Road fire.
No properties are at risk, but smoke can make it hard for some people to breathe and hard to see when you are driving. Some roads may be closed.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO:
– Stay inside and close windows and doors.
– Keep respiratory medication close by.
– Follow your bushfire survival plan now. If you do not have a bushfire survival plan, make one on the QFES website.
– Avoid driving through smoke if you can.
– Watch out for firefighters working in the area.
– Do not fly drones around the fire or in the warning area. This can block air operations.
WHAT HAPPENED:
The fire on Kingaroy’s Luck Road spanned about 100m by 25m near the Kingaroy Transfer Station and had four Queensland Fire and Emergency crews at different times.
A QFES spokesman reported there were three urban crews and one rural crew attending the fire.
The South Burnett Regional Council was alerted of the fire due to its proximity to the tip.
“Our crews went in with a hose, protecting machinery from being burnt in the fire,” he said.
“There was a bit of concern about smoke from the dump.”
The smoke was reportedly blowing in a westerly direction away from the town.
As of 1am, the southern side of the fire was out.
“The council was using a loader to push some of the burnt material out, to mop it out,” he said.
Queensland Ambulance Service reported that paramedics remained on standby for the Queensland Fire Emergency Services from 1.24am.
The QFES spokesman reported that all firefighters were out of breathing apparatus by 2am and were checked over by QAS paramedics for precaution.
No persons required QAS transport to hospital.
The fire was completely extinguished by 2.10am and QFES crews were mopping out hotspots by 2.50am.
