The Palaszczuk government has assured Queenslanders firefighters battling a massive bushfire that’s destroyed almost half of Fraser Island have the right tools.

December 4, 2020

Firefighters battling a seven-week-old bushfire that’s destroyed almost half of world heritage-listed Fraser Island have the right tools, the Queensland government says.

Specialists fighting the blaze on the national park decide how best to use them, Fire and Emergency Services Minister Mark Ryan told parliament on Friday.

“The deployment of firefighting resources, including the larger air tanker, is a matter for the experts, our firefighters, he said.

“I trust them to make the right decisions just like this government trusted Dr Jeanette Young, our chief health officer, to make the right (COVID-19) decisions.”

Water bombers have dumped almost three million litres of water and fire-retardant gel on the fire, which has razed 82,500 hectares of vegetation since being sparked by an illegal campfire.

But the loose soil on the world’s largest sand island is causing the liquid to drain away quickly in the inaccessible, bush-covered dunes where the fire continues to burn on multiple fronts.

One is 2km east of the popular Kingfisher Bay Resort and headed south with guests evacuated on Monday and most staff following on Wednesday.

On the eastern side of the island, the fire is burning on two fronts near the Happy Valley community and Cathedrals campsite.

“Nearly 100 specialists, including professional firefighters, are on the ground fighting this fire,” Mr Ryan said

“They are being supported by firefighting aircraft, including five fixed-wing bombers, two heli-attack bombers, two air attack platforms, one air observation platform, one large aerial tanker and one LAT lead plane.”

A “watch and act” alert is in place on the west side of the island with authorities warning conditions are likely to deteriorate over the weekend.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services took over management of the fire from the national park’s ranger service last Friday.

It immediately ordered tourists to stay away from the island, closing access to all except residents and essential workers.

Visitors already on the island have been told to stay close to campsites and avoid inland tracks and roads.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Wednesday ordered the Inspector-General Emergency Management to conduct a full review into the Department of Environment and QFES emergency response to the blaze.

The opposition says poor leadership and a communication breakdown between QFES, the Parks and Wildlife Services and the island’s traditional owners led to inaction in the first weeks of the blaze.

Spokesman Dale Last also slammed the limited use of the state’s large aerial tanker that can carry 15,000 litres of liquid.

“We’re hearing it wasn’t deployed until November 17, some 34 days after the fire started,” he said.

But QFES has defended its handling of the blaze, saying the jet had been used 19 times since the fire started, with four drops on Friday.

“Decisions relating to the use of the LAT are based on operational needs at the time, including the effectiveness of aerial drops and weather conditions,” a spokeswoman said.

Increased water bombing in the last 48 hours has significantly slowed fires’ advance, she said.

The giant blaze is thought to have been started on October 14.

Fraser Island is about 250km north of Brisbane, 123km long and covers 181,851 hectares.