Alfresco

Seems to be loads on the Twitter link. Will keep an eye open.

Pollyana

Hopefully it'll prove really useful - the department is fairly new to social media stuff but a lot of staff are really keen to use it productively

Pollyana

FIRE WEATHER WARNING
for parts of the Maranoa and Warrego and Channel Country districts
Issued at 5:31am EST on Wednesday the 17th of August 2011
for Wednesday.

A trough entering the west of the state this morning is expected to quickly move across inland Queensland today. Warm, fresh and gusty N to NW winds ahead of the trough are expected to cause, Severe Fire Danger in western parts of the Maranoa and Warrego and far eastern parts of the Channel Country districts today.
Temperatures up to 28 degrees, relative humidity down to 20% and winds to
45km/hr are expected.

=========================================
A fire spotter plane will be in the air over the affected communities to provide quick detection of any fire outbreaks. Water bomber planes are also on standby should the need arise.

Residents are reminded to be vigilant today as a severe fire danger impacts the community and prepare their homes for bushfire now if they have not already done so. Residents should call Triple Zero (000) if they are concerned about the threat of fire to their home or property.

Residents should refrain from lighting any fires today. Residents with fire permits will not be allowed to light any fires during the severe fire weather conditions. If they do so, they will be in breach of permit conditions due to the forecast wind strengths.

More information about on preparing for bushfire season can be found by visiting www.ruralfire.qld.gov.au.

Pollyana

A large patch of bush is on fire at Lyons in Logan this evening as fire fighters struggle to bring it under control.

The blaze broke out around 2:30pm between Tully Rd and Spring Valley Rd and has proven difficult to extinguish because fire trucks cannot get into the scrub.

It has burned through 10 hectares of bush so far and is moving in a north and north-easterly direction, but does not yet pose a threat to homes in the area.

DeadVim

Just watched two fire tenders tackle a fire at the end of our street.

Given the number I've seen in the last fortnight I'm thinking of taking the rego plates and turning it into a hobby, I just need the anorak.

Another fine job by the firies (fireys?)

Pollyana

Forecasts of very high to severe fire danger across large parts of Queensland over the coming days have prompted the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service (QFRS) to ask residents to remain cautious and vigilant.

Currently significant fires near Caloundra, Bundaberg, Charleville, Toowoomba, Rockhampton and Cardwell, so huge areas of the State are vulnerable - as of Sunday there were 180 fires reported Statewide.
Fire activity reports from QFRS here -
http://www.fire.qld.gov.au/news/default.asp

There's a Fire Weather Warning current from the Bureau for parts of the Channel Country, Maranoa and Warrego and Darling Downs and Granite Belt districts.

Also check out the QFRS facebook page here -
https://www.facebook.com/QldFireandRescueService

DeadVim

Bookmarked the Facebook page, thanks, didn't know about that one.

Pollyana

Hasn't been running long - the success of so many pages during the floods has finally helped to convince the Department that they needed to join the world of social media and the QFRS page is proving very popular. QPS link to it a lot as well for live fire info,

LouiseR

We were at Caloundra on Sunday, the smoke in the sky was unbelievable, so thick and so much of it.

DeadVim

Hey Polly,

I called in a fire today using 000 (as recommended) and was told it was just a controlled burn and the smoke would be around for a couple of days.

This is obviously Good News but I was wondering if something like Twitter could be used immediately a back-burn was taking place to ease the number of redundant calls to 000.

Wouldn't take much infrastructure ... The usual links had nothing at the time.

As an aside I'll be volunteering my services for the rural fire service so maybe it will be me being the twit.

Pollyana

Tis certainly a good idea, they do have a new twitter account, launched alongside the facebook one but I haven't really looked to see how much controlled burning they report on.
http://twitter.com/#!/QldFire

:thumbup; for volunteering

DeadVim

Ta, that account seems to be a reflection of the other sites.

I'll get myself on there and do some tweeting myself if necessary, should be able to publicise it in the local paper. It's a small place so everyone reads the same old guff ... "Mrs Miggins' Cat Has Twins" kind of paper ...

Pollyana

A SWELTERING early taste of summer this week will put Queensland on high alert, with dangerous conditions returning on the back of temperatures nearing 40C in the state's west. Conditions are dangerous throughout Queensland, with grasses dry and one fire burning in the southwest.

While areas in the southeast are expected to reach 30C on Thursday, with 29C expected in Brisbane, temperatures in Birdsville, Bedourie and Windorah areas are predicted to get close to 40C for the first time this season, and hot and strong northerly winds are likely to increase. The Central West, Maranoa and Warrego districts also face dangerous conditions.

Queensland Fire and Rescue southeast region acting inspector Sean Toohill said yesterday the weather forecast pointed to a busy week for firefighters, although they had enjoyed a quiet weekend.

Tubbs2Oz

Do they not have something like this:

http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/dsp_content.cfm?cat_id=683

The other day I noticed a fair bit of smoke in the valley in front of the house, clicked on the website and saw that there was a hazard reduction burn (two actually) going on just North of us. We like having it all mapped out because we don't know all the areas well enough yet really.

DeadVim

That looks at bit more comprehensive and reactive than the QLD options.

It seems at little odd to me to have to call the main emergency number to just find out if the smoke you are seeing is a controlled burn.

I'm going to try to get something a bit more 20th (intentional) Century going