Overland Track fire threat as fire bombing aircraft to assist efforts statewide
Tasmania Fire Service has issued a watch and act alert for areas of the Overland Track with an uncontained blaze heading towards the track. The latest.
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Update 12.10: The Overland Track has been closed impacting about 100 walkers because of a fire southwest of Pelion West at Canning Peak.
PWS North-West regional manager Nic Deca said walkers schedule to depart today have been stopped, those north of Windermere have been told to return to Cradle Valley.
He said the fire grew significantly overnight to threaten the track with conditions becoming challenging.
“There is potential for the fire to impact the Overland Track within the next 24-48 hours,” he said.
The iconic track will be closed for the next three days.
He said significant smoke from the fire was present in the area between Waterfall Valley and Pelion, and anyone currently on the Overland Track was urged to follow instructions.
“We are actively working to contain the fire and plan to reopen the track in three days’ time if conditions allow,” he said.
“Anyone who booked to undertake the walk during the track closure will be provided a full refund.”
Walkers are urged to check the PWS website for up-to-date information and track closures.
Midday: An uncontrollable bushfire at Canning Peak is heading towards the Overland Track, authorities warn.
A watch and act message for Windermere, Pine Forest Moor and surrounds has been issued with people urged to monitor conditions as they are changing.
“The fire is travelling towards Overland Track this is not contained,” the alert said.
Embers, smoke and ash may fall on Windermere, Pine Forest Moor and surrounds, which could cause a threat before the main fire arrives.
Tasmania Fire Service, Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service and Sustainable Timber Tasmania is attending.
Conditions are expected to be changeable.
February 5: The bushfire at Snug remains a concern to firefighting agencies, despite the blaze that has burned for longer than a week being contained and monitored.
Another 17 blazes burn on the west coast, particularly around Zeehan, Corinna and Rosebery areas.
Tasmania Fire Service deputy chief officer Matt Lowe said there was no threat to those communities at the moment, but containing it was their priority.
Fire bombing aircraft has been called upon to assist efforts on the west coast, made challenging due to the rugged terrain and inaccessible location of many of the blazes, he said.
“These aerial assets are being used for spotter flights, water bombing, and mapping to support our firefighting efforts,” Mr Lowe said.
As of this morning, 15 aircraft were being used through the National Aerial Fighting Centre arrangements and other local aircraft is ready to assist any new fires start, he said.
Mr Lowe also confirmed the state had requested two Blackhawk helicopters from interstate to assist efforts.
Dry lightening sparked was responsible for the multiple blazes on the West Coast that started Monday afternoon and evening. Despite more lightening last night, there were no reports of new fires at this stage due to the accompanied rain.
“We’re again urging community members to remain vigilant and continue to monitor local conditions,” he said.
The latest updates can be found on TasALERT.
Bushfire warnings as of 10am:
- Zeehan and surrounds – monitor conditions
- Savage River and surrounds – monitor conditions
- Rosebery and surrounds – monitor conditions
- Corinna and surrounds – monitor conditions
- Margate, Snug and surrounds – monitor conditions
- Rosebery, Zeehan, Corinna and surrounds – avoid smoke
Two bushfires on west coast upgraded to advice alert level
3.31pm: Two bushfires on the state’s west coast have been upgraded to advice alert levels.
This comes after almost 20 bushfires sprung up across the state following dry lightening late on Monday.
Advice alerts have been given fro Rosebery, Savage River and surrounding areas, with TFS warning communities to monitor conditions.
While there is no immediate threat, conditions are expected to be changeable.
Residents for affected areas are encouraged to check their bushfire plan and decide on whether you will stay and defend or leave your home in the case the warning level is upgraded.
For fire updates visit tasalert.com.
TFS Deputy Commander urges community vigilance
11.05am: Deputy State Fire Commander Mark Dobson said almost 4770 dry lightning strikes hit Tasmania since late Monday.
“With hot and windy weather experienced across the state from late yesterday, over 4770 dry lightning strikes occurred near or over Tasmania, with 1227 recorded as striking the ground since 1pm (time) yesterday, with strikes sparking multiple fires across the west coast area,” he said.
“Aircrews are continuing to conduct spotter flights to gather intelligence, map and prioritise our response to these fires, many of which are in remote areas.”
With bushfire responses ongoing in the west coast and Huon channel areas, the community is urged to remain vigilant and continue to monitor local conditions with the weather predicted to change on Tuesday.
Deputy Commander Dobson said that while no communities are currently at risk from the bushfire advice alert fires in Corinna and Zeehan, he urged local residents to be vigilant and monitor conditions.
“The Bureau of Meteorology has predicted thunderstorms across the west coast, east coast and midlands this afternoon and early evening, with the potential for further lightning strikes,” he said.
“If you are aware of lightning strikes in the local area and you see smoke or fire, please report to Tasmania Fire Service immediately on triple-0.
“Firefighting activities are ongoing in the Huon channel area, with Tasmania Fire Service, Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service, and Sustainable Timber Tasmania crews on the fireground and in the air, working to extinguish a fire which started on 28 January and has so far burnt 480 hectares.”
“Active firefighting is ongoing, and proactive patrols of the fireground will continue over the coming days to monitor for any flare-ups.”
“With the weather forecast to change today, the best way for people to stay safe is to be prepared and stay up-to-date with local conditions by monitoring TasALERT.”
Bushfires around the state after lightning strikes
February 4, 10.40am: Almost 20 bushfires are going around the state after a series of dry lightning strikes and extreme hot weather on Monday.
Bushfires are mainly recorded in the north-west and west of the state, with 20 bushfires listed on the TasAlerts website, with one in Corinna and one in Zeehan under a bushfire advice alert level.
Tasmanian Fire Service (TFS) crews are in Robinson Street, Zeehan working to get the bushfire under control.
Meanwhile, TFS, Parks and Wildlife and Sustainable Timbers Tasmania crews have been called to Mount Donaldson in Corinna.
Residents in Zeehan, Corinna and surrounding suburbs are advised to monitor conditions and prepare to enact their bushfire plan.
Fires in Trial Harbour Road, Queens Head, Pieman River, Violet Rivulet, Corinna Road, Rocky River, Parsons Hood, Mount Meredith, Yellowband Plain on the West Coast, Mount Black in Rosebery, Canning Peak in Lake St Clair, and Corinna Road and Leatherwood Ave in Savage River have all been marked as going by TFS, with crews currently working to bring them under control.
Crews work to protect property, critical assets at Snug
February 1: The bushfire fighting effort at Snug has shifted to creating containment lines to reduce the risk to property and critical assets, the TFS says.
Margate, Snug and surrounding areas are being encouraged to monitor conditions and avoid smoke with an advice warning and smoke alert remaining in place.
Efforts to lock in containment lines are underway as a joint effort between the Tasmania Fire Service and Tasmania continues to respond to the emergency incident in the Channel region on Saturday.
While back burning operations are also planned as conditions allow in an attempt to contain the fire. This is expected to cause more smoke in the area and its visibility to surrounding communities is not a cause for alarm, firefighters say.
Deputy incident controller Adam Salter thanked the community for their patience and understanding while firefighting activities continued in the area.
More than 200 people gathered to hear an update on the fire and bushfire safety during a community meeting at Margate Primary School on Friday night.
Authorities expect crews to remain on the fireground for several days.
TFS has already suspended fire permits statewide to prepare for high fire danger across Tasmania this weekend and into early next week.
Several other minor bushfires have ignited across the state over the past 24 hours, however no alerts for those are current.
Fire permits suspended ahead of heatwave
January 31: Fire permits have been suspended statewide from Saturday ahead of a forecasted severe heatwave.
Tasmania Fire Service southern regional chief Simon Pilkington confirmed the decision as the state’s firefighting resources are focused on the bushfire in the Snug Tiers.
“Any additional fires may result in depleting resources and increased response times,” Mr Pilkington said.
Fire Permits will be suspended from 2am Saturday, February 1 until 2am Wednesday, February 5.
This means no fire permits will be issued during this time, any already issued have been cancelled and burns under one cubic meter — that don’t require a permit — are strongly discouraged.
Elevated fire dangers into early next week are likely across southern Australia — including Tasmania, BOM warns.
The Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury provided an update on Friday morning, saying dry lightning could also pose a risk into early next week with temperatures soaring in many states including the Apple Isle.
Firefighters are expecting to continue battling the blaze at Snug Tiers for weeks with 410 hectares of bushland already scorched.
A monitor conditions warning was in place for Margate, Snug and surrounds with the conditions set to be changeable on Friday.
The firefighting efforts is a join effort between Tasmania Fire Service and Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Services.
A smoke alert was also in place for Margate, Snug, Kettering, Pelverata, Kaoota and surrounds.
The forecast weather conditions arrives on top of dry soil following no significant rainfall being predicted over the forecast heatwave, TFS says.
Ms Bradbury explained the “unusually hot” weather is due to a large unmoving high pressure system over the Tasman Sea.
She forecast a warm weekend would build and flow through to next week.
“Day time and overnight temperatures will push well above average in the southern states.”
Temperatures are set to push 15C above February averages through parts of central Tasmania.
Hobart is also expected to feel the heat, with 31C and 34C forecast for Monday and Tuesday respectively.
A high fire danger rating is also forecast for the midlands on Saturday.
Snug bushfire still rages and set to go on for weeks
January 30: Firefighting efforts continue at Snug Tiers in the Channel region on Thursday with firefighters, aircraft and heavy machinery set to be deployed over the coming weeks to assist with efforts.
Incident controller Andrew McConnon said the fire — fire reported on Tuesday afternoon — remained uncontrolled and had so far burned over 410 hectares.
“Firefighters, aircraft, and heavy machinery will be deployed over the coming weeks to assist with suppression efforts,” he said.
“Yesterday, more than 80 personnel from both TFS and Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service worked to establish containment lines around the fire, with the support of ten firefighting aircraft.”
The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast an increase in temperatures later this week and high fire danger weather is predicted across inland parts of Tasmania.
Mr McConnon said they were focused on building and strengthening containment lines to limit the fire’s spread ahead of the forecast fire weather next week.
Bushfire advice warnings are in place for Pelverata, Kaoota and surrounds, Margate, Snug and surrounds and Oyster Cove and surrounds.
TFS advised the community to monitor conditions with warnings set to be in place over the coming weeks.
A smoke alert is also in effect for Margate, Snug, Kettering and surrounding areas.
Residents should be aware that smoke and ash may be visible in the region over the coming weeks and anyone at higher risk from smoke should enact their personal health plans.
Visibility also may be reduced in some areas.
People who don’t live in the area have been asked to stay away to allow emergency services to respond effectively.
The best way for Tasmanians to be prepared is to review your bushfire plan, be aware of your surroundings, keep up-to-date with warnings and report any fires to triple-0 (000).
Tasmania Parks and Wildlife spokesperson Katy Edwards said, “the Snug Falls track, Snug Tiers Reserve and Pelverata Falls Track are currently closed to the public.”
Snug fire remains visible, but no immediate threat
January 29: An uncontrolled fire continue to rage in bushland at Snug Tiers.
Firefighting efforts have continued on Wednesday morning after more than 70 personnel and nine firefighting aircraft battled the blaze on Tuesday.
The blaze was first reported at 3.10pm yesterday.
Tasmania Fire Service incident controller Andrew McConnon said additional resources would be deployed today to assist with the firefighting operations.
He said work yesterday, including personnel from the Tasmania Fire Service and Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service, worked to create containment lines.
So far the fire has burnt more than 170 hectares, and Mr McConnon said it was uncontrolled.
“Today we will be increasing resources on the fireground, prioritised on the southern and eastern edge of the fire,” he said.
“We’re reminding residents in the area to monitor conditions, be aware of ember attacks, and make a plan to stay safe.”
The fire is expected to remain very visible in the Channel area today and a smoke alert remains in place for Margate, Snug, Kettering and surrounding areas.
Drivers are also asked to use caution with smoke reducing visibility.
Tasmania Fire Service advises people to:
* Decide early if you are going to leave, and make sure you have a clear path to a safer place.
* If you have made a bushfire plan, use it now.
* If you don’t live in the area stay away. The roads could become highly dangerous.
* For fire updates visit tasalert.com
Water bombers and fire crews sent to Snug fire
January 28: More than 70 firefighters and nine waterbombing aircraft battled an uncontained blaze inland from Snug on Tuesday afternoon and into the evening.
A Watch and Act alert was issued for communities in the Channel suburbs of Margate and Snug after the bushfire took hold in strong winds.
Incident controller Andrew McConnon told ABC radio the work by crews and waterbombing aircraft managed to quell the blaze and cooler conditions helped ease the situation.
The fire broke out in Margate Plains in the Snug Tiers Nature Recreation Area about 4.40pm, with ember attacks and the bushfire threatening homes in nearby Snug Falls Road, Snug Tiers Road and surrounds.
A line of fixed wing planes and helicopters helped battle the blaze.
The fire warning was downgraded to Monitor Conditions just before 8pm.
However, Mr McConnon said he expected that the Tasmanian Fire Service would likely be fighting the bushfire for at least the next week.
“We are still looking at a longer term containment strategy,” he said.
In a release on Tuesday, the Tasmania Fire Service said that high winds meant the fire was “difficult to control” and smoke and ash would impact on the ability to breath.
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Heavy smoke from the fire impacted neighbourhoods and residents, with Tasmania Police urging motorists to drive slow in Snug, Margate and surrounding areas due to reduced visibility.
Police also closed Van Morey Road in Margate from Old Bernies Road but the area was later reopened for local residents
For the latest alerts go to the TasAlerts page
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