Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) and Horseshoe Bay Rural Fire Brigade will be assisting private landholders to conduct two small fuel reduction burns Thursday 28th and Friday 29th July 2011.

The burns will take place mid morning on properties between the southern end of Horseshoe Bay Road and eastern end of Gifford Street.

Smoke will be seen rising from around the central Horseshoe Bay area.

QPWS with the assistance of Department of Environment and Resource Management, Queensland Fire and Rescue Service and Horseshoe Bay Rural Fire Brigade have been working around the island over these past months to reduce fuel along roads and behind residential areas.

Due to changes in climatic conditions and grass drying QPWS has decided to scale back planned burn operations on Magnetic Island burns will no longer be undertaken in areas where the fire has the potential to travel into the hills.

Instead efforts will now focus on assisting land holders to reduce the fuel load on their properties in strategic locations that will help mitigate the effects of a wildfire should one occur in the hot dry volatile months.

For more information, please call Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service on Magnetic Island on 4778 5378.