Residents are being urged to prepare their properties for the upcoming bushfire season following a recent fire that scorched two hectares in Thornlands.
On November 1, a minor fire ignited off Tindappah Drive which took more than 11 hours to bring under control.
A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokesman said seven crews were called to the scene at 9.30am.
“The fire was burning in what was described as a swampland which caused a large amount of smoke in the area,” he said.
The spokesman said the fire was moving in a north-westerly direction and was under control at 8pm that night.
“The crew did a backburn which helped the fire slow down and used an excavator to cut a fire break,” he said.
Mayor Karen Williams is urging residents to take proactive measures as summer approaches.
“The Bureau of Meteorology recently advised there will be reduced rainfall through to at least the end of February due to an El Nino, and these warmer and drier than average conditions mean there is an increased risk of bushfire,” she said.
Council’s fire management team has prepared for the fire season by conducting 25 planned burns over more than 158 hectares this year.
Cr Williams said the team managed more than 170km of fire access tracks within conservation areas and had undertaken slashed firebreak maintenance in more than 1200 areas for asset protection and access.
Council has also carried out a series of educational initiatives in the lead-up to fire season, including six bushfire awareness sessions for residents on the mainland and islands, and three community resilience forums for vulnerable community members.
It has also posted bushfire awareness letters to 10,450 households in high to medium-risk areas.
Cr Williams said council also maintained a dedicated Redland City Disaster Management dashboard website that provided practical information on preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disaster.
“Council also has an opt-in emergency notification messaging service, Redlands Coast Alerts, which is an important part of our disaster and emergency communications,” she said.
Cr Williams said now was the time for residents to “spring clean” their properties to reduce the risks associated with extreme weather events.
“One of the most common callouts for our local SES volunteers is for leaking roofs and this is often caused by blocked gutters,” she said.
“Blocked drains can also cause damage when water flows back towards your house, so I encourage residents to check, and clear, drains and gutters now.”
More information on how to prepare yourself, your home and business for a disaster can be found on the council website.
