MEMBERS of three rural fire brigades oversaw the burning of hundreds of tons of timber and trash at the Washpool Reserve on Sunday.

The timber, mostly from the widening of Washpool Rd, had been stacked into a single heap more than 100m long and over 2m high in many places by Southern Downs Regional Council employees.

Washpool Rd is the main access to the camping grounds at Washpool Reserve and was widened, graded and cleared of overhanging trees to give better access to the popular fishing and boating areas around Leslie Dam.

New drains were also put in place and more work is to be done in coming weeks on the road, in an effort to keep rainwater from damaging the road surface.

Warwick District Rural Fire Brigade group officer Michael Welsh was pleased with the results of the controlled burn which reduced the huge load of timber to a smouldering ash heap.

"Council will push up the remaining rubbish later in the week and most of the heap will be gone within a few days," he said.

"The burn was a good training exercise for members of the three brigades that attended and assisted council by ensuring the fire did not enter adjoining grasslands or the reserve itself.

"Similar hazard reduction burns are planned throughout our whole district at a time of year when they can be better controlled in order to help prevent wild fires during the bushfire season."

The Leslie RFB organised the burn and were supported by trucks from Karara and The Glen.