January 22, 2025

By Queensland government

Rangers and Rural Firefighters (RFF) from Canberra joined Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service’s (QPWS’s) rangers to fight bushfires across national parks and forests.

The QPWS is receiving direct support from interstate to aid rangers fight fires in Queensland’s protected areas. This will also compliment QPWS’s skills in managing fires.

On Saturday morning, the Australian Capital Territory strike team comprised of four ACT Rural Fire Service volunteers and seven ACT Parks and Conservation Service Rangers landed in Brisbane.

In Girraween, they are now working with QPWS and Queensland Fire and Emergency Services as well as the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and landholders in order to battle fires and initiate recovery operations.

These rangers have additional firefighting experience, similar to that of Queensland rangers. They also possess mapping, aerial surveying and heavy plant operations.

QPWS South West Regional Director Rachel Chesher, acting regional director said Queensland rangers had been incredibly thankful for Canberra’s extra support.

Rangers, along with their partners, have been fighting fires all over the country from the south-west to the north. Our response has continued to control these blazes,” said Ms Chesher.

More than 400 thousand acres of Queensland protected land have burned so far in this fire season. It could have been worse, if it weren’t for the extensive Statewide burn plan and dedication of our rangers.

QPWS carried out more than 530 fuel burning treatments and other fuel reduction, or hazard reduction treatments in the entire state. That’s an extra 100 burns as compared with last year.

The extra funding from the ACT is allowing some of our crews in these areas to have a much-deserved break and help us protect this environmentally and culturally important area.

QPWS wishes to express its gratitude for the assistance provided by QFES, DAF and the RFS, as well as landholders in the State.

QPWS responded between August and Octobre to 210 fires, including 188 that affected protected areas.

Christian Bihlmaier Director of Fire Operations for ACT Parks and Conservation Service stated that the ACT strike teams were ready to provide support to rangers as needed to continue the response to the fires.

The ACT has a period where it is not as humid as the surrounding area, which makes this a perfect opportunity to use our staff in order to assist other agencies,” Bihlmaier explained.

The team of strikers is eager to assist and gain a better understanding about land management practices in Queensland.

When you are deployed, you don’t really know what you can expect. But we will be here to support you and help Queensland Parks take a much-deserved rest and recuperate from the hard work they have done.

What we are here to do is whatever it takes.

QPWS has been grateful for the recent rain, which will help rangers assess damage caused by fire in protected areas. This can be done through fire scar mapping and patrols.

The ACT will support these operations. They are also expected to stay in Queensland until next week to help the QPWS.

Fires in recent and current years have caused national parks to be closed.

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