Bushfire-hit communities across Tasmania dealing with relentless worry and uncertainty, says Red Cross

Imagine facing the potential loss of your home in a time of great uncertainty and distress. That’s the reality for many Tasmanians living in active bushfire zones.

WORRY about bushfire threat has been relentless for some Tasmanian communities for several days, and many people will be facing potential loss of their home, uncertainty and distress, according to the Red Cross.

The Red Cross is one of a number of community organisations that has been helping support people at evacuation centres affected by bushfires in the Huon Valley, Central Plateau and the West Coast.

MORE FIRE STORIES

HUON VALLEY RESIDENTS FLEE AS EMERGENCY WARNING ISSUED

NO REST FROM FIRE DANGER

SURROUNDED BY SCORCHED EARTH

FIRES SCUPPER WOODEN BOAT FEST WARM-UP EVENT

Red Cross Tasmanian emergency services manager Howard Colvin said while some people who had arrived at the evacuation centre at the Huonville PCYC were showing incredible resilience and stoicism, there were others who were highly distressed and uncertain about whether they would have a home to go back to.

Mr Colvin said some people who were unable to bring their companion animals with them were also anxious about them.

“There’s a number of people who get very distressed at the thought of the impact on wildlife and paddock animals,” he said.

Mr Colvin was involved in the response to the 2006 fires on the East Coast.

“One of the most common themes is that nothing prepares you for the terror,” he said.

“The sky goes dark, the smoke gets in to your eyes and your nose. It’s like armageddon approaching … so many people talk about the roar of the fires coming at you.”

Mr Colvin said humans did not cope well with uncertainty at the best of times.

“In an emergency, when we’re talking about human impact, people will experience potential loss, uncertainty and distress,” he said.

Mr Colvin said the potential loss could include homes, possessions and connection to the community.

Firefighters opposite the Kermandie Hotel in Port Huon today as fires approach. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

“They deal with the uncertainty and stress of not knowing whether they will be hit by a fire or not and for some of them it’s day after day you live in a heightened state of awareness,” he said.

“It’s the relentlessness of it, the inability to take time out mentally, to just relax and switch off.”

Mr Colvin said there were many people in Tasmania who had previously experienced bushfires.

“If you’ve been through one event, you have a loss of innocence … you can’t get it back,” he said.

“Particularly around Hobart we have this history of fire danger.”

The latest fire information is available from the Tasmania Fire Service website, TasAlert publishes information from emergency services and government departments, and the Red Cross website has a section with advice on how to deal with emergencies.