Further fire risk for Tasmania after heavy rain and lightning strikes batter state overnight

Around 8000 lightning strikes were recorded on Wednesday following a day of wild weather. The SES has now warned of potential bushfires in the following days due to the lightning strikes.

A lightning strike in Burnie. Picture: Shayne Andrews.

SES crews were kept busy on Wednesday as heavy rains and wild weather battered large parts of Tasmania.

It is estimated that there were more than 8000 lightning strikes over 24 hours.

As a result, Tasmania Fire Service chief officer Jeremy Smith said people needed to remain vigilant.

“We know fires can start through lightning at any time, and last night crews responded to a structure fire at Claude Road in the state’s north west which is believed to have started after being struck,” Mr Smith said.

“We are deploying aircraft today to check for any possible bushfires as a result of lightning activity.

“There may be fire in the landscape over the coming days and weeks. Fire danger ratings are issued by the Bureau of Meteorology based on forecast conditions.

“The Tasmania Fire Service is monitoring conditions and continuing to liaise with the Bureau of Meteorology.”

A map of lightning strikes in Tasmania on Wednesday. Picture: Supplied.

Mr Smith said high fire danger ratings were in place across the Furneaux Islands, Central North, North East, East Coast, Midlands, and the South East, and they are expected to continue across the state into the weekend.

“We’re again calling on all Tasmanians to make sure they have a plan in place if a bushfire threatens their home.

“When a bushfire strikes, there’s lots of things to think about, and having a plan means you don’t have to make impulsive decisions.

“Decide ahead of time how early you will leave, where you will go and how you will get there.

“Make sure you have an emergency kit ready, with a torch, batteries and chargers, and a radio so you can stay up to date if there are power outages or you can’t get online.”

Devonport High School was closed on Thursday after being left without power following the heavy rain.

On Wednesday, the school said on Facebook that at around 2pm, it had to move all students to the gymnasium and asked parents to pick their children up.

An SES spokesperson said it responded to 12 storm-related incidents on Wednesday and Thursday.

“These were in Latrobe, Sheffield, Upper Burnie, Dunalley, Deloraine, Kings Meadows, Northdown, Devonport and Hellyer and were related to heavy rainfall associated with thunderstorm activity.

“The requests for assistance were related to water inundation during periods of thunderstorm activity accompanied by heavy rain.

“The issues with inundation ceased with the conclusion of the rain.”

Originally published as Further fire risk for Tasmania after heavy rain and lightning strikes batter state overnight