Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) has extended a local fire ban for Whitsunday local government area residents.
The local fire ban will be extended until 11.59pm Monday 14 December. Conditions are perfect for bushfires to ignite and spread quickly.
Under a local fire ban all open fires are prohibited and all Permits to Light Fire which have been issued in the designated areas have been cancelled.
Power tools may be used during a local fire ban however QFES encourages people to use these with extreme care and ensure adequate equipment is available to extinguish any fire which may start.
This may include having a person available to watch out for any ignitions that occur.
Fires lit for the purpose of cooking or providing warmth are allowed however must be used within a proper constructed vessel (such as barbeque,pizza oven, fire pit) where the fire cannot escape or cause embers to drift.
Fires lit for the purpose of providing warmth are allowed between 6pm – 6am provided they are lit within a properly constructed receptacle (such as fire pits and braziers) within a suburban back yard and are not larger than 1m x 1m x 0.5m. Fires must not be left unattended and a firefighting device (such as a garden hose or extinguisher) must be available.
Fires lit for the purpose of disposal of animal carcasses or for commercial necessity are permitted subject to the issue of a permit to light fire by the Chief Fire Warden.
Burning can be undertaken in line with the Notification for Sugar Cane Burning.
Information on fire bans and the exemptions that can apply can be found on the Rural Fire Service (RFS) website, www.ruralfire.qld.gov.au.
