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- Apparently more than 80,000 hectares of the popular world heritage site have already been destroyed. That is more than half the island.
- Now the fire also threatens localities and the unique rainforest. Experts fear an ecological catastrophe.
- Fire extinguishers currently struggle primarily with the wind, which continues to ignite and spread fire.
High winds are the biggest problem for emergency services, said a 9News reporter. “The crews are really in a fight against the elements,” he emphasized. The fire, which likely started with an illegal campfire in mid-October, accelerated last week due to a heat wave.
Fraser Island is known to nature lovers and Australian tourists: the island represents turquoise lakes, endless beaches and tall trees (mammoths). Dingoes, humpback whales, and more than 350 species of birds live on and around the island. Hundreds of thousands of national and foreign visitors come each year for a day trip or camping.
Legend:
The flames leave great damage. The fire has been burning since October.
Keystone
The flames are now licking towards the town of Happy Valley. About 40 of the 50 residents had decided to stay despite warnings to defend their homes from the fire, a senior firefighter said. Many of the residents are trained as volunteer firefighters. Fewer than 200 people live in the few settlements on the island.
“The situation is very dangerous and firefighters will not soon be able to prevent the flames from spreading,” said the Queensland Fire Department. With dozens of ground forces and numerous firefighting aircraft, they are in action.
World’s largest sand island
With a length of 122 kilometers and a width of around 15 kilometers, Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world and twice the size of Rügen. It was “painful to watch the island burn,” Queensland Prime Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk said last week. The island is “a jewel in Queensland’s crown”. The politician ordered an investigation to determine how the disaster could occur.
