Redlands Coast residents urged to get bushfire ready

Redlands Coast residents are urged to take advantage of the current cool weather conditions to prepare their properties for the upcoming bushfire season.

City Mayor and Local Disaster Management Group (LDMG) Chair Jos Mitchell said now was the perfect opportunity for households to identify and reduce bushfire risks on their land.

“The Queensland weather is unpredictable, which is why everyone on Redlands Coast needs to ensure their property is prepared for bushfire season,” the Mayor said.

“There are many simple steps you can take to reduce your risk, such as clearing debris from roofs and gutters, trimming branches overhanging dwellings, and removing overgrown vegetation.

“Other actions you can take include preparing an emergency kit, having a bushfire management plan in place for your household, and ensuring all accessways on your property are clear for emergency vehicles.

“Residents can also subscribe to Council’s free emergency notification messaging service, Redland Coast Alerts, via the Redlands Coast Disaster Dashboard at disaster.redland.qld.gov.au as part of their preparations for bushfire season.”

Council is also playing its part in reducing bushfire risks across the city, slashing Council-owned land adjoining houses and creating firebreaks, as well as carrying out controlled burns to reduce fuel loads.

So far this year, more than 10 burns have been completed across the mainland and islands, with several more planned over the coming months ahead of the peak bushfire season.

These burns are undertaken in cooperation with the Queensland Fire Department and adjoining land management authorities.

“We are also rolling out another community education campaign this year to reiterate the importance of getting your property prepared early for bushfire season,” the Mayor said.

“The risk is real on Redlands Coast, no matter where you live.

“Preparing your property early is the best thing you can do to keep yourself, your family and your neighbours safe.

“With Redlands Coast experiencing some wet weather during the first half of the year, bushfire fuel loads may have increased on some properties.

“If you do have a build-up of combustible materials such as dead leaves, long grasses and branches on your land, you should ensure these are removed as soon as possible.

“Bushfire preparation is absolutely essential on Redlands Coast given our large proportion of rural properties, so we need everybody to play their part in reducing the risk.”

For more tips on reducing fire hazards on your property, go online to Council’s bushfire preparedness page or visit the Queensland Fire Department website at fire.qld.gov.au.

Further information about Council’s planned burns program, including a list of scheduled burns for 2024, is also available online at redland.qld.gov.au.

Redland City Council provides a suite of services to 166,873 residents and more than 63,000 residential households across Redlands Coast. Our naturally wonderful city on Quandamooka Country is home to more than 335 kilometres of coastline, six island communities and 12 mainland suburbs.