QFES REQUESTS MEDIA BROADCASTING IN THE WARNING AREA TO USE THE STANDARD EMERGENCY WARNING SIGNAL (SEWS) WITH THIS MESSAGE.
Bushfire warning level: EMERGENCY WARNING
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) advises there is a bushfire approaching Laidley. It is now too late to leave the area. Driving now would be extremely dangerous.
Follow your bushfire survival plan now. Your safest option is to identify where you will seek shelter from the bushfire. If you are not in the area, do not return, as conditions are too dangerous.
Currently as at 2.50pm Tuesday 8 October, a severe and fast-moving fire is travelling in a north-easterly direction towards Douglas McInnes Drive, Railway Street, Ward Court, Wilson Court, Tyrrell Court, Storr Street, Leonard Street, Edward Street and Coates Street. The fire is expected to have a life-threatening IMPACT on the community.
Conditions are now very dangerous and firefighters are unable to prevent the fire advancing.
The fire poses a threat to all lives directly in its path. Fire crews may not be able to protect your property. You should not expect a firefighter at your door: act now. Power, water, and mobile phone service may be lost.
People in the area will be affected by thick smoke and embers, which will reduce visibility and air quality. As the fire approaches, it will become difficult for you to see, hear and breathe. You will experience intense heat, darkness, and loud noise.
An evacuation centre remains open at the Laidley Cultural Centre at 3 Laidley Plainland Road, Laidley North, but driving now would be extremely dangerous.
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 suffer from a respiratory condition, keep your medication close by.
If you are staying:
• 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.
• Identify a safe spot to shelter in, which would be a place with more than one exit, preferably inside a brick building, away from windows and doors. The safest spot is the place that will keep you furthest away from the intense heat from the fire. As the fire approaches and passes, the safest spot will change, so be ready to move.
If you are not staying:
• Leave now. Do not delay.
• Be prepared to negotiate changing road conditions. Roads may become blocked or access may change.
• If you become stuck in your car, park away from bush and get onto the floor as the windows may break from the intense heat.
KEEP UP TO DATE BY:
• Following QFES on Facebook (@QldFireandRescueService) 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 https://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 4.50pm or if the situation changes.
