DECLARATION OF A LOCAL FIRE BAN

PROHIBITION ON THE LIGHTING, MAINTENANCE AND USE OF FIRES IN THE OPEN

In accordance with the provisions of Section 86A and Section 86E of the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Act 1990, and with due regard to fire conditions and the weather forecasts issued by the Bureau of Meteorology, a Local Fire Ban is hereby imposed as described below.

A prohibition on lighting fires in the open applies for the period 0001hrs Sunday 24th September 2017 to 2359 hrs on Sunday 24th September 2017 in the fire ban area(s) specified hereunder:

Within the whole of the Local Government Areas of: Ipswich Somerset Lockyer Logan Scenic Rim Gold Coast All Permits to Light Fire previously issued in the local fire ban area are hereby cancelled.

THE FOLLOWING EXEMPTIONS APPLY:

• Fires within a properly constructed barbeque are permitted provided they are not left unattended.
  
• Fires for the purpose of disposal of animal carcasses are permitted, subject to the issue of a permit by the local Fire Warden.
  
• Fires of commercial necessity are permitted subject to the issue of a permit to light fire by the Chief Fire Warden, Area Director Rural Fire Service Queensland.
  
• Fires lit for the purpose of burning standing sugar cane for harvest in accordance with the established practice of the industry. The burning of standing cane is permitted between 1800 hrs and 0500 hrs the following day once a permit to burn has been obtained from the local fire warden for those blocks of cane that require a permit to burn.
  
• Fires lit for the purpose of burning tops and trash between the hours of 1800hrs and 0900hrs (6.00pm and 9.00am) once a permit to burn has been obtained from the local fire warden for those blocks of cane that require a permit to burn.
  
• Fires lit in accordance with the provisions of Section 86A of the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Act 2009, Part 6 Sections 53 Powers of authorised officer in dangerous situations and 55 Powers of authorised fire officer for preventative or Investigative purposes.

Alan Gillespie, AFSM Superintendent
Regional Manager Rural Fire Service Queensland Queensland Fire and Emergency Services
(As delegate for the Commissioner)

Information on Fire Bans and the exemptions that can apply to a ban of the lighting of fires in the open can be found on the Rural Fire Service Queensland website. www.ruralfire.qld.gov.au

Note: Power tools including lawn mowers and mechanical slashers may be used, however the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services encourages people to use these with extreme care and to ensure that adequate equipment is available to extinguish any fire that may start. This could include having a person available to watch out for any ignitions that occur.