Tasmania weather update: Overland Track set to re-open on schedule, but fears remain

Battle-hardened firefighters are bracing for another round of high fire danger weather set to hit the state. The changing conditions could also impact the Overland Track’s reopening. Here’s how.

Canning Peak bushfires on February 5, 2025. Picture: Tasmania Fire Service

Custodians of Tasmania’s iconic Overland Track are confident it will re-open on Monday despite being “fearful” dangerous fire conditions could force a further delay.

The Bureau of Meteorology has predicting warm and windy weather this weekend following a week and a half of relatively mild weather assisting firefighting efforts.

The Overland Track has been closed since February 5.

Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service liaison officer Brendon Clark said they remained confident a safe and traversable track would be available for the public to use as scheduled.

“However with the fire weather conditions we are likely to experience over the weekend, we still remain fearful that may impact the reopening as scheduled,” Mr Clark said.

Rapid impact assessments on the Overland Track, that has been threatened from the Canning Peak bushfire, was underway at present, he said.

Remote area team at Yellowband Plains Fire, taken February 21, 2025. Picture: Warren Frey TFS

He said any changes to the timeline for the trek’s reopening would be communicated “as quickly as possible”.

A blaze at Yellowband Plains had also threatened Tasmania’s oldest-known Huon pine tree.

While the outside had become scorched, Mr Clark said the ancient tree remained unharmed.

“[It’s] very heartening news undoubtedly, it was a fear it might be impacted,” he said.

Further assessments of the bushfire damage would continue as weather and resources permitted, he said.

Weekend’s fire danger

Remote area team at Yellowband Plains Fire, taken February 21, 2025. Picture: Warren Frey TFS

Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Simon Lewis said warm and windy weather was forecast this weekend, leading to high fire dangers.

Temperatures on Saturday are expected to reach into the low 30s, while Sunday’s danger remains high with fresh and gusty winds despite lower temperatures forecast.

He said between 5-15mm of rain was likely, however it wouldn’t be enough to impact on big fires that continue to rage on the West Coast.

Lightening strikes were a possibility, he said but would most likely be accompanied by rain.

State Fire Commander Matt Lowe said there hadn’t been a significant increase in fire activity with the amount of impacted bushland remaining steady at around 94,000ha.

He urged everyone, particularly people in the Midlands and East Coast, to be aware of their surroundings, report fires and stay up-to-date on TasALERTS.

Mr Lowe said stand-up strike teams would be stationed in the Midlands on Saturday with additional aircraft at strategic areas across the state.

He said resources would be available with surge capacity should any fires breakout.

The state’s readiness to respond to other bushfires was reiterated by Sustainable Timbers Tasmania’s Dean Sheehan.

He said the impact on SST land remained small at 2 per cent in remote areas, but assessment of the damage hadn’t happened.

Saturday forecast

Hobart: 30C

Launceston: 32C

Devonport: 26C

West Coast: 29-30C

Originally published as Tasmania weather update: Overland Track set to re-open on schedule, but fears remain