Four people have been charged with unlawfully lighting fires on K'Gari (Fraser Island) following a joint investigation involving Queensland Police and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS).
It will be alleged on October 14, QPWS rangers on K'Gari were alerted to an illegal campfire within the Duling Camp Zone of Eastern Beach, north of Orange Creek.
Rangers attended and located a campfire that was covered in sand though still radiating heat.
Native vegetation in close proximity had caught alight and started a wildfire to the north west of the camp site.
This wildfire subsequently took hold and over the following weeks burned extensive parts of the world heritage listed island.
In total, it is estimated this fire has burned approximately 87,000 hectares of the Island and required extensive firefighting efforts to bring under control.
On December 21, detectives from Maryborough CIB charged four people in relation to lighting an unauthorised campfire which was not properly extinguished.
A 24-year-old Warwick man has been charged with the unlawful lighting of a fire and leaving a fire unattended.
A 21-year-old Rosenthal Heights man, a 24-year-old Rosenthal Heights man and a 23-year-old Massie man have been charged with one count each of the unlawful lighting of fires.
They will appear in Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on January 21.
A 17-year-old boy will be dealt with according to the provisions of the Youth Justice Act 1992.
If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting.
You can report information about crime anonymously to Crime Stoppers, a registered charity and community volunteer organisation, via crimestoppersqld.com.au 24hrs per day.
