BEFORE the versatile 4WDs were around to traverse the rugged hills of Wildash, fire prevention involved other strategies – and having spent his 60 years in the area, Paul Maher is all too familiar with them.

Mr Maher, a volunteer with the Wildash Rural Fire Brigade, can remember some frightening times at the height of the annual fire season.

“When the steam train used to run regularly between Warwick and Stanthorpe the ash from it would often spark a lot of fires alongside the track,” he said.

Mr Maher grew up in Wildash, about 10km away from the rail line.

He represents the fourth generation of his family in the area, after his great-grandfather arrived in 1875.

Now, he is all too familiar with the dangers of fire throughout the dry season.

“(Dealing with bushfires) was part of bush life back then,” he said.

“Mum used to work at the Wildash exchange and as soon as you could see smoke in the air, someone would ring the exchange and let her know. Then she'd ring around and get help to put it out.

“Before 4WD and pumps, which came about 40-50 years ago, in the early days we'd use just green bush and wet bags to help fight it.”

Other preventive methods, still effective today, included creating a fire break in anticipation of the direction of the fire.

“Tractors later on were a big help to cut a break in,” he added.

Mr Maher can remember well one particularly bad bushfire in September 1991. The farmer said it was one of the worst he has seen.

“It started from a diesel train and about 14,000 to 15,000 acres of land was burnt between Warwick and Dalveen,” he said.

“As soon as we saw the smoke on the other side of Kelly's Hill we knew there was trouble.

“It had a huge front and it was lit in that many places. It was just a huge fire with ferocious conditions.”

In the approaching fire season, Mr Maher said it was important to remain fire-smart.

“After heavy frosts the grass is killed back and if it dries off weather-wise, it's the perfect condition for fires,” he said.

“To help prepare for the season, I'd say just clean around the house. Clean it from bits and pieces which would otherwise help fuel the fire.

“Back-burning also helps a lot – fighting fire with fire. The best time to do that would be late afternoon where it's cooler, and then if there's a dew at night that would help put it out. You need a permit to burn.”