Redland City Council is encouraging property owners and residents to join the city’s spring clean as bushfire season begins.
Areas being targeted are those identified as having the highest fuel loads (dry leaf litter, long grass and overgrown vegetation). They include Redland Bay, Mount Cotton, Sheldon, the Southern Moreton Bay Islands and North Stradbroke Island.
Acting Mayor Wendy Boglary said Council has taken steps to reduce fuel loads in the Redlands.
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“We slashed public land adjoining homes across the Redlands in August and have conducted eight controlled burns in the last six weeks,” Cr Boglary said.
“Those burns were at Redland Bay, Sheldon, Mount Cotton, Alexandra Hills, Thorneside and three on Russell Island.
“The annual fire maintenance schedule on the Southern Moreton Bay Islands was also brought forward, with fire maintenance trail slashing.”
In addition, controlled burns have been conducted on North Stradbroke Island by the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation (QYAC) and SEQ Water.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) yesterday suspended controlled burns across Redland City and the greater Brisbane region due to hot dry conditions.
Cr Boglary said Council’s Disaster Management staff would increase their ‘street speaks’ program to educate residents about what they can do to reduce fire hazards on their properties to protect themselves and their families.
“Educational information including advice on getting ready for bushfire season will be available at these sessions,” Cr Boglary said.
“This weekend, Council’s Disaster Management staff will be available along with QFES and SES staff at Red Fest to talk to people about getting ready for the fire season as part of the ‘street speaks’ program.
“Council Disaster Management staff will also be on Macleay Island at Savvy Seniors Day next Tuesday, 12 September.
“More ‘street speaks’ will be scheduled in Mt Cotton, Redland Bay and Sheldon in the coming weeks,” Cr Boglary said.
“Council is stepping up, and we need residents to help us by cleaning up fire hazards on their own properties and helping neighbours if they need a hand.”.
Under Council’s Local Law 3, residents and landowners must clear overgrown allotments and unsightly accumulations of objects and materials, and fire hazards must be reduced or removed.
To aid the clean-up, Council has extended the opening hours of waste transfer stations on Russell and Macleay Islands in a trial which will run until the end of January 2018.
Both facilities will open seven days a week – up from five days – from Monday 18 September. On week days, the facilities will close two hours earlier at 2pm, and on weekends they will open from 8am to 4pm.
Cr Boglary said opening the waste transfer stations seven days a week will make it more convenient for residents to dispose of their rubbish and support the clean up on the islands.
“Residents will be able to drop off green waste, recyclables and other rubbish which may be increasing their fire risk,” Cr Boglary said.
New opening hours for Russell Island and Macleay Island waste transfer stations:
Monday to Friday 8.00am – 2.00pm
Saturday and Sunday 8.00am – 4.00pm
(Russell Island previously closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays; Macleay Island previously closed Thursdays and Fridays)
Waste transfer station opening hours on Lamb and Karragarra Islands will remain as is seven days a week during daylight hours
Coochiemudlo Island, North Stradbroke Island and the mainland waste transfer stations will remain as is.
All waste transfer stations are closed on Christmas Day and Good Friday.
