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So after a long hard day of chainsawing and moving logs in the bush we were all just about to head home for the day, some of us already had, when the chorus of pagers went off. Mt. Forbes 41 were on scene at a grass fire along the Cunningham Highway at Willowbank and requesting additional resources. All available crews and appliances turned out – Chucka, Bull & Myself brought up the rear with 52.

Upon arrival we discovered a couple of hectares well alight and a few appliances already on scene including urban pumper from Karana Downs, 644A, in action – property protection. We quickly joined the mix and within a short period of time the fire was knocked down.

The cause of the fire then became apparent. A wheel had come off a towed trailer, the chassis being dragged along the highway for some distance. The resulting sparks ignited a fire on the side of the roadway which quickly swept up the hillside.

After a thorough inspection of the blackened out edge, we filled up what little water we used and called it a day.

With it shaping up to be a busy fire season by 9am in the morning the Brigade was again called to a fire, this time at Swanbank, in bushland opposite the power station. Crewing first vehicle on the scene we knocked down as much of the fire as we could get access to as other appliances began arriving.

With extreme difficulty in getting vehicles to the fire it was mostly down to slugging it out on foot with blowers, rakehoes and knapsack sprayers.

Unfortunately the fire managed to get out of the black and jump the train tracks entering an area of lantana brush where hand tools were simply inadequate and it quickly took off.

Mt Forbes were also responded and by this stage we had managed to get a light attack down the train tracks to knock that part of the fire down.

With both brigades on scene we were able to contain the rest of the fire and get back to station for a well deserved lunch!

On Sunday afternoon a reasonably small fire, a couple of hectares, started up in difficult terrain along Redbank Plains Rd at Redbank Plains. Ripley Valley RFB was called to assist the urban crew from Bundamba, 643A.

After a brief size up with consideration to the conditions the initial plan was to contain the fire into a larger area using backburning however after winds settled a bit a more direct attack was chosen and after a couple of hours of cleaning up the edge and monitoring all units headed home.

Commencing on the evening of Friday 21 August 2009 Ripley Valley began quite a large hazard reduction burn in bushland at Springfield bordering on Orion, Polaris and the University.

With approx 600 hectares to burn the planning had been going for weeks and approximately 18km’s of fire breaks prepared using a dozer. A lot of work had been put in by senior members of the brigade in assessing the burn and getting everything ready.

I must say I think our guys did an extremely professional job.

And back for some more punishment

This afternoon Ripley Valley crews responded to Kerners Rd Yamanto signalling the start of the fire season. A full brigade response was required and although there was heavy fuel loads with the fire going well the recent rains made it surprisingly boggy in some areas. Unfortunately I managed to sprain my ankle not long after arriving and only have a few pics.

Just prior to 5pm today crews were called to multiple reports of a house on fire in Gilingham St Woolloongabba. The Queenslander was well involved upon arrival and crews went into immediate action protecting exposures. A 2nd alarm was called with multiple appliances, control vehicle and senior officers responding. The fire was eventually brought under control and investigations continue as to the cause of the blaze.

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At approx 1pm fire crews were called to reports of a fire in the new bar of the Norman Hotel at Woolloongabba. On arrival a section of the hotel was well involved and a second alarm was called. Crews quickly went into action bringing the fire under control and preventing it spreading to the older historic part of the structure, which suffered smoke and water damage only. The bottle shop and beer garden however were destroyed. Initial reports indicate sparks from a grinder ignited a stack of polystyrene boxes in an area under construction. One worker was transported to hospital with minor burns.

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Recently I had the opportunity to watch some live fire training at the Live Fire Campus, part of the Queensland Combined Emergency Services Academy at Whyte Island. On this day a scenario was being conducted for Station Officers undergoing a tactical management course involving a MVC at petrol station with large fuel spill + nearby gas cylinders and storage tanks. Known as Armageddon because the participants get everything thrown at them.

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Each year Rural Fire Brigades across Queensland conduct hazard reduction burns as part of a fuel management strategies. Fuel management can include grazing, slashing, ploughing of fire breaks, physical removal or burn offs. This is done in consultation with, or at the request of, the landholder.

For some of the newer members this was their first exposure to a real fireground and these types of activities deliver a range of training benefits to all firefighters. They provide a controlled environment for such things as equipment familiarisation with drip torches, radios, pumps, branches etc, all under “live fire” conditions. Live fire also allows for better understanding of fire behaviour and how different types of fuels and fuel loads will react under different circumstances, wind conditions, temperature, humidity etc, risk analysis etc.

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