By JOLENE OGLE
TWO youths have been charged for deliberately lighting the out-of-control blaze at Sunrise Beach, which threatened a nearby retirement home.
The fire, which started at around 11am on Thursday (16 October), burnt more than 15 hectares of grass lands behind the sports oval on Dame Patti Drive, Sunrise Beach.
Two water bombing helicopters and 25 ground crews were brought in to help contain the fire, which burnt for almost two days.
Strong winds on the Thursday only fanned the flames, creating a 300 metre fire front and causing smoke haze to cover most of the coastal region.
Noosa Fire and Rescue Inspector and Area Commander Rob Frey said the fire rapidly became out of control and threatened to cross the hill and spread to Noosa Springs and throughout Sunrise Beach.
Mr Frey said it was a combined effort that eventually brought the fire under control.
“The urban and rural fire services worked very well together to attack the fire,” he said.
“The urban team protected the buildings while the rural team got into the bush with their four-wheel-drives and began the back burning.”
The rural fire brigade is made up of volunteers who came from as far as Landsborough and Maleny to help fight the blaze.
Mr Frey said the Noosa Council, local police, SES volunteers and aerial support all played a major role in fighting the fire and keeping the local community safe.
With more than 50 fire crew members working throughout the 48 hours it took to contain the blaze, Mr Frey said it was great to see everyone working together. The Noosa Lions football club even delivered breakfast on the Friday for all fire and emergency crew members.
Police issued a statement on Friday (17 October) to advise two 14-year-old boys had been arrested, one from Noosa Heads and the other from Mount Coolum.
The two boys have been charged with setting fire to crops and growing plants, standing trees, saplings or shrubs, and will be dealt with under the Youth Justice Act.
