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Last Updated: Saturday, 09 September 2023 11:26

Published: Saturday, 09 September 2023 11:10

The immediate fire threat has eased for Cecil Plains, however, Toowoomba Regional Council is reminding residents to stay informed about all fire warnings in the coming days.

Toowoomba Region Mayor and Local Disaster Management Group (LDMG) chair Cr Geoff McDonald said Council was monitoring the latest warnings and remained on standby to act if the situation worsened.

Mayor McDonald said a prepare to leave warning remains for residents in the vicinity of the Dunmore area, near Kumbarilla.

The warning covers an area between Dunmore State Forest, Weir River Road, Boundary Road and Millmerran-Cecil Plains Road.

“This morning’s (Saturday, September 9, 2023) Queensland Fire and Emergency Services update revealed the Kumbarilla fire front had extended to the north towards Lake Broadwater in the Western Downs Regional Council area,” Mayor McDonald said.

“QFES reported that containment activities on Friday night (September 8) helped restrict the fire’s movement on its eastern, southern and western edges, which has eased the threat to Cecil Plains. The Kumbarilla fire, covering an area of more than 8000 hectares, is proving hard to map due to the smoke and is a very big fire.

“The forecast for more favourable weather conditions also has eased immediate concerns for residents around Cecil Plains.”

Mayor McDonald said the latest forecasts allowed Council to move the LDMG to Lean Forward status, with an eye to ramp up activity if the situation for the Toowoomba Region worsened.

He said while the latest update was encouraging, he called on all residents to stay vigilant and report any fires.

“The Millmerran Showgrounds remains ready to be used as an evacuation centre if needed. Residents should also observe all road closures as a safety precaution,” he said.

“We want everyone to feel safe, which is why we’ve taken this precautionary step.

“I thank all emergency services workers, community support organisations and various Council teams that are working in the field. We will support Western Downs Regional Council where needed.”

Residents should monitor the Toowoomba Region Disaster Dashboard at http://disaster.tr.qld.gov.au/

For current bushfires and warnings visit https://www.qfes.qld.gov.au/Current-Incidents