Cr Williams Commends The Gracemere Bushfires Response Team

Throughout the bushfire season, we have witnessed the incredible efforts of QFES, Council staff, and volunteers who have been responding to and battling the fires in our region.

Yesterday at a Local Disaster Management Group (LDMG) meeting, Cr Tony Williams, Chair of the Rockhampton LDMG, acknowledged these efforts and thanked the involved parties for their incredible work.

Referring to Wednesday's fires, Cr Williams stated:  

The QFES were battling unprecedented fire conditions, with firefighters who have been in the service for decades saying they have never seen anything like it. The firestorm was generating its own weather which made it travel in two opposite directions. This made it very hard to track, and I want to commend the QFES personnel for working against some horrific conditions to control a firestorm that was unlike anything we have experienced before.

- Cr Williams

Cr Williams also acknowledged the dramatic difference made by the aerial water bombings, as two 737s deployed from NSW to drop 20,000 litres of water over the fires to reshape them. He stated that "this is what saved the entire township of Gracemere from a direct fire attack".

Without this assistance, we would have woken to a very different scenario not only for Gracemere but also for South Rockhampton. I cannot emphasise just how thankful we are for this vital help and the improved wind conditions overnight.

- Cr Williams

Residents of Gracemere, Kabra and Stanwell were able to return to their homes from early yesterday morning, after many sought refuge in Rockhampton.

For updates on weather conditions, please continue to check Council and QFES' Facebook pages.