Bushfire warning level: WATCH AND ACT
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) advises there is a bushfire in the Cowan area, affecting Moreton Island campers, and conditions remain dangerous and unpredictable.
Follow your bushfire survival plan now. If you do not have a plan, your safest option is to leave now if it is clear to do so. If you are not in the area, do not return, as conditions are too dangerous.
Currently as at 6.40pm Sunday, 17 November, a dangerous fire is travelling in a southerly direction from the north of the Island. As the evening progresses, this fire is expected to change direction and move in a northerly direction. There is also potential for this fire to move unpredictably. It is expected to impact campsites right across Moreton Island in the coming hours and days. The fire could have a significant impact on campers.
There are several other warnings current for residents on Moreton Island. Residents should refer to these warnings for further information.
Fire crews are working to contain the fire but firefighters may not be able to protect every campsite. You should not expect a firefighter at your campsite. Power, water, and mobile phone service may be lost.
People in the area will be affected by smoke, which will reduce visibility and air quality.
Tangalooma Island Resort is open to campers as a place of refuge. Campers on the eastern side of the Island should travel on Southern Middle Road or Bulwer-Blue Lagoon Road towards the western side of the Island before progressing south along the beach to Tangalooma. Campers on the western side of the Island should travel south along the beach, directly to Tangalooma.
Call Triple Zero (000) immediately if you believe you are under threat.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO:
• Listen to your local radio station or visit the Rural Fire Service (RFS) website for regular updates.
• Put on protective clothing (e.g., a long-sleeved cotton shirt, boots with thick soles).
• Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
If you are leaving:
• Secure your pets for safe transport.
• Check for road closures and then advise family and friends of your intended travel route.
• Take your important documents and essential items (e.g., passports, birth certificates, prescription medication, food and water, and protective clothing) when you leave.
• Drive with caution in low visibility conditions.
If you are unable to leave:
• Bring pets inside; restrain them with a leash, a cage, or inside a secure room; and provide them with plenty of water.
• Move flammable materials such as doormats, wheelie bins, and outdoor furniture away from your house.
• Fill containers such as your bath, sinks, and buckets with water so you have access to drinking water and firefighting water.
• Close windows and doors, sealing the gaps under doors and screens with wet towels to keep smoke out of the house.
• If you suffer from a respiratory condition, keep your medication close by.
KEEP UP TO DATE BY:
• Following QFES on Facebook (@QldFireandEmergencyServices) and Twitter (@QldFES)
• Staying tuned to your local radio station. Find your local ABC radio station at https://radio.abc.net.au/help/offline and your local commercial radio station at http://www.commercialradio.com.au/find-a-station/queensland;
• Visiting the Rural Fire Service (RFS) website at www.ruralfire.qld.gov.au/map
FURTHER INFORMATION:
• For bushfire preparation tips, visit the RFS website: www.ruralfire.qld.gov.au/BushFire_Safety
• For information about road closures, call 13 19 40 or visit www.qldtraffic.qld.gov.au
The next update will be provided by 8.40pm or if the situation changes.
