As the weather warms up, grey nomads will be all too well aware of the threat of bushfire as they travel in remote areas.
Over the weekend, a number of blazes have been burning out of control. In central Queensland, a group of bushwalkers had a terrifying experience as fire closed in on them.
Firefighters say that eight people were walked out of bushland in the Blackdown Tableland national park – 150 kilometres west of Rockhampton – yesterday afternoon.
The Guardian newspaper reports that another person was helped out of the area after walking into a ranger’s hut, while another four people refused assistance. Queensland Ambulance Service said they treated 11 people, including three children, for minor smoke inhalation.
A rescue helicopter was earlier dispatched to the area, but later stood down after the group were rescued on the ground.
Bushwalker Nicole Galea told the Guardian she was caught up in the fire with her family earlier in the day, but was able to run from the area.
“What started out as an awesome day with our BFFs enjoying a hike in the beautiful Queensland Blackdown Tablelands ended in us running for our lives after a fire started about one kilometre into our hike to Rainbow Falls,” she said on Facebook. “We were running with kids screaming … fire, heat at our backs, deafening sounds and roar of the fire.”
The fire apparently grew quickly in the dry conditions, and Ms Galea said it was one of the scariest experiences of her life and she was praying for the people who had already walked to the falls earlier in the day.
