25 January, 2023
Bushfires make a fiery return
For many, the flooding of 2022 seems like far longer ago than what it actually was, as a very dry start to 2022 for the Clifton district saw bushfires flare up earlier this month at Old Talgai and Pratten.
Hot, windy conditions last Wednesday morning led to the two fires developing at Old Talgai and Pratten.
A ‘Prepare to Leave’ warning was issued by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) at 2.54pm on Wednesday for the Old Talgai fire, which also affected Ellangowan and Victoria Hill.
The warning area was between Leyburn Cunningham Road, Oleary Road, Fontainbleau Road and Ryeford Pratten Road.
The fire was moving from Leyburn Cunningham Road towards Oleary Road and Ryeford Pratten Road.
There were concerns some properties might be threatened.
At 6.04pm, the warning was downgraded to ‘Stay Informed’.
The fire warning was cancelled at 7.57pm on Thursday.
A ‘Stay Informed’ warning for Pratten township was first issued at 11.19am on Wednesday, which remained until it was cancelled at 6.40pm on Thursday.
Crews batting the blaze wound down operations at midnight before continuing on Thursday morning.
They had everything burning within containment lines by midday on Thursday.
The fire at Pratten was south of the town, between Condamine River Road
and Leyburn Cunningham Road.
A QFES spokesperson said the fire was fast-moving and jumped Leyburn Cunningham Road at one point, raising concerns about houses in the area being in danger.
Into Friday, 20 January and Saturday, 21 January, crews continued to patrol before finishing at 8pm on the 21st.
The QFES spokesperson said that between both fires, dozens of Fire and Rescue and Rural Fire Service crews spent the afternoon and evening battling the blaze.
They were assisted by air support, in the form of water bombers that collected water from Leslie Dam.
Crews also worked to remove a few fallen trees.
Bulldozers were used to cut fire breaks.
With such a large number of QFES crews in attendance, some had travelled quite a distance, including from Gowrie Little Plain and Cabarlah.
Also on Wednesday, in the afternoon a smaller fire was reported near Imhoff Road at Sandy Camp.
The QFES spokesperson said a cause of the fires has not been determined.
There are unconfirmed reports that the Old Talgai fire was started by an electric fence.
