Four charged over illegal campfire that sparked Fraser Island bushfire
Police have charged four people over an illegal campfire that was not properly extinguished and started the bushfire that scorched more than half of Fraser Island.
Authorities estimate the fire burnt through 87,000 hectares of the island, led to mass evacuations of residents and threatened homes, coming within metres of the community of Happy Valley.
It will be alleged on October 14, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers on Fraser Island (K’Gari) found an illegal campfire within the Duling Camp Zone of Eastern Beach.
Rangers said the fire was covered in sand but still radiating heat, and as a result, vegetation nearby had caught alight and started a wildfire to the north-west of the camp site.
The wildfire took hold and over the following weeks burned extensive parts of the world heritage-listed island.
On Monday, Maryborough detectives charged four people with lighting the campfire after a joint investigation with QPWS.
An aerial night view of the Fraser Island bushfire as it raged in early December.Credit:Nine News Queensland.
A 24-year-old Warwick man was charged with unlawfully lighting a fire and leaving a fire unattended.
A 21-year-old Rosenthal Heights man, a 24-year-old Rosenthal Heights man and a 23-year-old Massie man have been charged with one count each of the unlawful lighting of fires.
They will appear in Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on January 21.
A 17-year-old boy will be dealt with according to the provisions of the Youth Justice Act 1992.
Toby Crockford is a breaking news reporter at the Brisbane Times