The wildfires that have affected much of Australia these past months didn’t spare the Great Sandy National Park either. Both the K’gari (Fraser Island) and Cooloola sections of the park experienced wildfire events during this time, including one wildfire on the island and five wildfires within Cooloola.

The hot, dry conditions experienced over a prolonged period in the region made for challenging times for fire crews. Dry lightning strikes were attributed to the cause of many of the fires. However unfortunately one fire in Cooloola was the result of the careless disposal of campfire embers.

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service staff were assisted by the Queensland Fire Emergency Service including through the deployment of volunteer rural fire brigades, crews from the Butchulla Land and Sea Rangers, and when fire threatened mainland plantations, Hancock Queensland Plantations crews.

With welcome rain now here, we hope similar relief is soon felt in the rest of our fire-affected country.

Contributed by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service