ABC Radio

LEAVE IMMEDIATELY: Cooktown vegetation fire as at 8:00pm Sat 3 Oct 2020 Bushfire warning level: EMERGENCY WARNING Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) advises there is a bushfire travelling on both sides of Oaky Creek Road in Cooktown. Leaving immediately is the safest option, as it will soon be too dangerous to drive. Follow your bushfire survival plan now. If you do not have a plan, your safest option is to leave immediately if it is clear to do so. If you cannot leave, identify where you will seek shelter from the bushfire. If you are not in the area, do not return, as conditions are too dangerous. Currently as at 8:00pm a large, dangerous and uncontrolled fire in the vicinity of Ironwood Ave and Oaky Creek Road and surrounding streets which include Poison Creek Road, Solander Road, Lee Road, Flaggy Road and Minke Road. It is expected to impact multiple properties in the surrounding area. The fire is expected to have a significant impact on the community. A number of properties have been evacuated by Queensland Police. Residents evacuating are to leave north via Endeavour Valley Road. Conditions are now very dangerous, and firefighters may soon be unable to prevent the fire advancing. The fire may pose a threat to all lives directly in its path. Fire crews may not be able to protect your property. You should not expect a firefighter at your door: act now. Power, water, and mobile phone service may be lost, and road conditions may become very dangerous over the next several hours. People in the area will be affected by smoke, which will reduce visibility and air quality. Call Triple Zero (000) immediately if you believe you are under threat. WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: • Listen to your local radio station or visit the Rural Fire Service (RFS) website for regular updates. • Put on protective clothing (e.g., a long-sleeved cotton shirt, boots with thick soles). • Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. • If you suffer from a respiratory condition, keep your medication close by. If you are leaving: • Secure your pets for safe transport. • Check for road closures and then advise family and friends of your intended travel route. • Take your important documents and essential items (e.g., passports, birth certificates, prescription medication, food and water, and protective clothing) when you leave. • Drive with caution in low visibility conditions. If you are unable to leave: • Bring pets inside; restrain them with a leash, a cage, or inside a secure room; and provide them with plenty of water. • Fill containers such as your bath, sinks, and buckets with water so you have access to drinking water and firefighting water. • Close windows and doors, sealing the gaps under doors and screens with wet towels to keep smoke out of the house. • Identify a safe spot to shelter in, which would be a place with more than one exit, preferably inside a brick building, away from windows and doors. The safest spot is the place that will keep you furthest away from the intense heat from the fire. As the fire approaches and passes, the safest spot will change, so be ready to move. KEEP UP TO DATE BY: • Following QFES on Facebook (@QldFireandEmergencyServices) and Twitter (@QldFES) • Staying tuned to your local radio station. Find your local ABC radio station at https://radio.abc.net.au/help/offline and your local commercial radio station at http://www.commercialradio.com.au/find-a-station/queensland; • Visiting the Rural Fire Service (RFS) website at www.ruralfire.qld.gov.au/map FURTHER INFORMATION: • For bushfire preparation tips, visit the RFS website: www.ruralfire.qld.gov.au/BushFire_Safety • For information about road closures, call 13 19 40 or visit www.qldtraffic.qld.gov.au The next update will be provided by 10:00pm or if the situation changes. ABC Radio - listen to live streaming radio or catch up in your own time to audio on-demand and podcasts from ABC RN, triple j, Double J, ABC Classic, ABC Rural and ABC Local radio stations. (Feed generated with FetchRSS)