Planned burns protecting world's largest sand island

Autumn is here, and before long, the weather will cool and the scent and toastiness of a camp fire will be calling.

Queensland national parks offer plenty of camping areas with campfire facilities during the right season, making it an easy choice for those seeking a cosy, under-the-stars experience. However, some camping areas do not provide fire rings or allow campfires, and for good reason.

K’gari, Great Sandy National Park is a paradise many of us know and love. Like all Queensland protected areas, it requires careful management and protection from potential threats.

Despite the island being surrounded by water and having camp fire restrictions in place, the threat of bushfire is ever-present and something Rangers are continually working to lessen.

One of the key land and fire management tools used by Rangers is proactive planned burning.

Planned burns on K’gari paint a mosaic of burnt and unburnt patches across the landscape, to support a healthy environment and slow the spread of flames. It also involves the meticulous maintenance of fire lines, and educating visitors of the collective responsibility for protecting K'gari from the threat of fire.

Throughout the year, the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service is working alongside stakeholders and partners—planning, prepping for, and conducting planned burns, as well as evaluating and reporting on these for future burns.

Ongoing prescribed burning activities include maintaining 320km of roads and fire lines around the townships of Orchid Beach, Happy Valley, Dilli Village and Kingfisher Bay to protect villages across the island.

Rangers have worked closely with Butchulla Rangers to treat more than 5,000 hectares of the island, creating a patchwork of burnt and unburnt land—mosaic burning—that functions as a natural firebreak.

K’gari’s planned burns are done in collaboration with partners and neighbours of planned burns, with differing layers of complexity, scale and logistics. Collaboration happens prior to burns and on burn days, depending on the area, burn method, operation and risk, with everyone bringing their own expertise.

In August 2024, an illegal camp fire caused a bushfire on K’gari. Thankfully, it was able to be contained, largely due to the ongoing planned burn program.

Multiple agencies assisted with this bushfire response, including Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation, the Queensland Fire Department, the Rural Fire Service, Queensland Police and the local community.

From reducing the likelihood or extent of impacts from bushfires, to maintaining ecosystems and ecological processes across the landscape, the strategic use of fire is an effective land management tool, throughout the State.

You too can help protect this paradise

Fire restrictions on K’gari have been put in place to prevent escaped campfires becoming wildfires, reduce rubbish, debris and environmental scars left by camp fire sites. They also reduce the risk of introduced pests and diseases being brought in with fire wood, and prevent impacts of firewood gathering upon local ecology.

While an illegal and escaped camp fire serves as a stark reminder that even the smallest spark can ignite a chain of events with lasting impacts, there are simple ways to minimise fire risk when visiting the island yourself.

• Follow all fire bans and park fire prohibitions.
• Only have camp fires where permitted in the fire rings provided at Dundubara and Waddy Point camping areas.
• Bring your own clean milled firewood.

Learn more about how we burn to conserve