SYDNEY, Dec 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Residents and visitors on Australia’s Fraser Island, have been told to prepare for the worst, as an out of control bushfire swept towards a major tourist resort today.
The fire burnt over 72,000 hectares or 42 percent of the island, off Queensland State’s east coast, since spreading from an illegal campfire, six weeks ago.
Today, the first day of summer in Australia brought hot and windy conditions, which fanned flames and made firefighters’ work, to contain the blaze, more difficult.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Service (QFES) said, the fire was travelling towards the Kingfisher Bay Resort and Village, with water bombing aircraft attempting to slow the progression.
“You need to be ready to follow your bushfire survival plan,” QFES said in a statement.
“If you do not have a plan, or intend to leave, you should be ready to leave the area because the situation could get worse quickly.”
Weather forecasts predicted adverse conditions to continue throughout the evening, raising concerns for residents and visitors who remained on the island.
“A trough moving into Western Queensland this afternoon and evening, will make it very windy, combining with the heat wave to elevate fire dangers,” Queensland’s State Bureau of Meteorology said.
