Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au
Police probing suspicious Qld bushfire
A suspicious bushfire has ravaged a Queensland island community and left police hunting an arsonist.
January 22, 2019
Police are hunting for an arsonist after a suspicious blaze scorched a Queensland island community and left wildlife dead.
Senior Sergeant Peter Thompson said on Monday the four-day blaze had been deemed suspicious.
The bushfire began on Bribie Island, in Moreton Bay, on Thursday before warm northerly winds fanned the fire into the island’s national park.
By Friday, the blaze was closing in on a school and community centre but firefighting crews worked tirelessly, finally bringing it under control over the weekend.
Senior Sergeant Thompson said residents had been hit hard by the four-day bushfire and he called for people to come forward this week with any information for the ongoing investigation.
“From disruption to the community, the destruction of habitat and substantial cost to the community for the emergency response – it was a difficult weekend for those of us on the island,” he said.
“It makes me furious to think that someone may have deliberately lit this fire – particularly in these hot conditions – and put our properties, wildlife, pets and lives at risk.”