Queensland firefighters battle Blue Mountain blaze Queensland firefighter Darren Curtis When they ran out of hose, they used water bottles. More than 100 Queensland firefighters joined the battle against blazes which swept through the Blue Mountains. They piled into trucks and headed south, joining more than 800 interstate firefighters assembled at a command post in Penrith ready to be deployed. Using whatever is at hand in firefighting The call for help came late on Monday afternoon after NSW firefighters reviewed maps, severe weather conditions and the fatigue of their crews. The Queensland contingent was welcomed home on Friday afternoon after days battling fires and flare-ups amid unpredictable winds. Queensland Fire and Rescue Service acting deputy commissioner Mark Roche said the crews would return knowing their expedition had been successful. "We are a family of fire fighters and we will continue to support each other and continue to learn from these significant events," Mr Roche said. Every time we do return we bring back the lessons learnt in other states. Fifty-two urban firefighters returned to Brisbane on Friday, to be followed by 50 rural fire firefighters on Saturday. Queensland's first fire ban of the season was issued this week. More than 60 per cent of Queensland has been drought declared, which means firefighters out west are expecting an "average" fire season. But closer to the coast, heavy rain in January gave vegetation a chance to grow and spread. The weather bureau is forecasting little relief from hot and dry conditions for the rest of this year and into January. The bureau's three-month seasonal outlook predicts a 60 to 70 per cent chance of below average rainfall for most of Queensland. Superintendent Michael Dwyer returned with a warning from those in his home state. "Take the lessons of what happened ... last Thursday and prepare your houses and your bushfire plans, because Queensland, it could happen to us at any time," he said.