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Smoke could impact the Beecher, Kirkwood and Mount Maurice areas as well as greater Gladstone from Monday, with controlled burns planned by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.
The Department of Environment and Science advised of the ground burning within the Mount Maurice State Forest.
“Operations are planned from Monday April 12, 2021, weather permitting, as part of the annual hazard reduction conservation management program for parks and forests,” the DES said in a statement.
“As a result, smoke may be seen in the Mount Maurice, Beecher and Kirkwood areas.
“Smoke may be visible in these areas over several days as the fire is staged progressively.”
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Hinterland residents have been warned there may be some smoke in the air on Thursday.
A planned burn at the Glass House Mountains National Park is set to reduce the volume of forest fuels in the area. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service will conduct the burn within Mount Ngungun section of the national park, weather permitting.
The burn is part of the service’s annual hazard reduction and conservation management program for parks and forests.
As a result, smoke may be seen in the Glass House Mountains and Beerwah area.
Authorities are urging drivers to also be cautious with decreased visibility on the roads a possibility.
The new zones will also improve the booking system, he said. Campers can now choose a zone they wish to camp in. Previously, campers applied for a camping permit but were unable to pre-book their preferred location. Instead, they were issued a permit to camp along a 14km section of beach wherever they managed to find a spot. New camping zones have been introduced to Teewah Beach. The spokesman said the new rules would also allow seasonal rotation and temporary closures of camping zones for maintenance and management of potential environmental risks. Some areas of the beach were at a high risk to rock falls from eroding dunes, the spokesman said.