The Queensland government is warning motorists to take precautions heading into what is predicted to be a long and dangerous bushfire season.
Entering the Christmas holiday period, Transport and Main Roads minister Mark Bailey is asking drivers to make sure they’;re not heading into fire zones and to take provisions.
“Motorists will see transport inspectors out on the roads as part our Check to Protect summer safety campaign,” he says.
“Drivers are generally good at looking at fuel, seatbelts and seat position and checking mirrors were aligned, but we’re encouraging motorists to add a few more simple checks to their routine,” Bailey explains.
“Make sure your tyres have no excessive wear, your brakes are working, the steering isn’t wobbling or pulling and there are no oil leaks,” he adds.
Drivers, not just Queenslanders, are being warned to make sure all lights front and rear are working properly, including on trailers, caravans and boat trailers which can have unserviced brakes, couplings, lights and electrics. They should also carry extra containers of water, woollen blankets, first-aid kits and if possible, a fire blanket.
“Caravans and trailers should be loaded correctly, ensuring legal weight and dimension limits are not exceeded, and appropriate load restraints are being used to keep all road users safe,” the department adds.
Heading into regional areas on holidays means drivers can be disconnected somewhat from regular news and weather warnings, which authorities are concerned about.
Many remote tourist spots often only have one primary access route in or out of towns such as those along the Great Ocean Road, the Gippsland Lakes and Phillip Island in Victoria, and other locations in south-east NSW like Wollongong, Merimbula, Eden and further south into Mallacoota in Victoria – all major holiday destinations during summer months.
Mildura in Victoria has been blanketed in thick dust and smoke for the last 24 hours which has restricted driver vision, and serious bushfires have threatened the northern Ballarat region for the last two days.
Victoria has entered its first Code Red fire warning situation as hot, gale-force winds hammered the state yesterday which has seen over 2000 firefighters and their appliances battle fires in rural areas.
The Country Fire Authority advises motorists who do find themselves caught in any kind of fire situation to immediately position the vehicle to minimise exposure to radiant heat by parking away from dense bush in any kind of clearing, or ideally behind a concrete wall or rocky outcrop.
Hazard lights should be on and the vehicle should point toward an oncoming fire front.
If motorists are unable to escape an oncoming fire front they should:
- Stay in the car, and tightly close windows and doors.
- Cover up with woollen blankets and get down below window level – this is your highest priority.
- Drink water to prevent dehydration.
- As soon as you become aware that the fire front is close by:
- Shut all vents and turn the air conditioning off
- Turn the engine off
- Drivers are urged to listen to ABC Local Radio stations for constant bushfire information updates as they travel.
- The Insurance Council of Australia has told the ABC 1340 bushfire related claims have been made in November, as the damage bill for
- Queensland and NSW’s early-started bushfire season hits $145 million.
