NORTH Stradbroke Island residents have made the first step to forming their own rural fire brigade.
The plan to establish a volunteer firefighting force on the island received unanimous support at a public meeting in Dunwich on Saturday.
The island has an urban auxillary unit for Dunwich, Amity Point and Point Lookout, but no dedicated team to perform hazard reduction burnoffs or identify potential trouble spots across Straddie's vast expanses of bushland.
Straddie resident and former firefighter Greg Litherland led the push for a rural fire brigade on the island.
The most recent campaign follows January's bushfires, which devastated two-thirds of the island and cost an estimated $4 million.
"If a fraction of that money went into looking after the island and fire managing it, there wouldn't be that expense, there wouldn't be that danger," Mr Litherland said.
A panel comprising Assistant Minister for Emergency Volunteers Ted Malone, Rural Fire Service Queensland District Inspector Neil Kelso, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Emergency Volunteers Bryan Cifuentes and Cleveland MP Mark Robinson fielded questions from locals during the two-hour meeting.
Mr Malone supported the establishment of a rural brigade, but said it was up to locals to determine whether or not it was created.
"I need to see some real enthusiasm to make that happen and to look at some land managers that can join the rural fire brigade," he said.
There was no outright opposition to the plan, but some members of the audience questioned the power of a rural fire brigade to conduct controlled burnoffs on private property.
Inspector Kelso said the volunteer brigade would need to consult with native title landowners, the Department of Resources and Mines and Sibelco to conduct the burns.
He suggested a minimum of 10 members, both operational and administrative, to initially start the brigade.
Members of the audience signed a form at the end of the meeting to show their interest in joining the brigade.
The motion of intent will be forwarded to Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Lee Johnson, who will allocate resources toward the creation of a brigade.
