BOWMAN MP Andrew Laming has called for fire management talks, saying residents are at far greater risk than they were decades ago due to population growth.
"We have entire townships in bushland," Mr Laming said. "In areas like Redland Bay and Mount Cotton it's very much a concern.
"If we're not doing the backburning that experts have planned for that can have catastrophic consequences."
Mr Laming came under fire on social media earlier this month after suggesting state Labor had given up hazard reduction burns to keep the support of Greens.
Twitter users pointed out that he had not acknowledged that his own government had ignored calls by fire chiefs' for more funding and resources before major fires broke out.
Mr Laming said the number of suitable days for hazard reduction burns was decreasing and there was now an excess of fuel.
"Climate is changing and longer, hotter, dryer summers coupled with drought and increasing populations living near bushland areas mean we have very high risks and we need to reassess everything," he said.
It came after Fire Minister Craig Crawford revealed nearly half of Queensland's scheduled hazard reduction burns had not been completed in the past four years.
A council spokesperson said 28 burns covering 100 hectares were done in the Redlands last year.
Mr Crawford said dry conditions in 2018 and 2019 had severely reduced chances for hazard reduction.
Redlands LNP candidate Henry Pike said longer fire seasons should be the cause for more controlled burns, not an excuse for less.
A QFES spokeswoman said she could not comment on whether there was more fire fuel this season, as landholders were primarily responsible for managing their own properties.
"It is important to recognise that QFES does not own or manage the land where fuel is located but does work very closely with land managers in a partnership to manage fuel loads and provide support," she said.
Streamlined processes for getting permits to light fires were in place for residents to conduct burns. In response to questions about whether extra fire mitigation works would be done before the next fire season, the spokeswoman said QFES worked with landholders to assess and manage high bushfire risk areas.
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