Constant fire threat hangs over apple farmer

“It isn’t easy to be told every day for the past 10 days that in two hours your property might be lost.”

John Evans at his farm on Fourfoot Rd, Geeveston. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

ON a hillside Geeveston property, an apple orchard bears the fruits of a family’s livelihood, which they fear could be taken away if a threatening fire burning close by their house reaches their land.

Apple farmer John Evans and wife Susanne have spent the past fortnight doing all they can to protect their property from the 60,000ha blaze wrapping around parts of the Huon Valley.

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The couple, who have been spending days protecting their home and nights sleeping in Hobart, watched on yesterday as back-burning efforts were conducted about 300m from their property on Fourfoot Rd, southwest of Geeveston.

Lee Hodgman, senior firefighter with Hobart Brigade, conducts back-burning on Fourfoot Rd, Geeveston. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

Mr Evans, who has lived at the property since a young boy, said he remembered watching as a child the devastating 1967 fires tear through hills nearby his home and said it was hard not to fear for the worst as clouds of smoke emerged on hillsides once again.

“It’s OK when you’ve had a look at the conditions early in the day and you can assess it for yourself, but when you’re hearing about it from afar it’s hard,” he said.

Tim Crellin, of the TFS. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

“It isn’t easy to be told every day for the past 10 days that in two hours your property might be lost.”

Mr Evans said his apple farm holds assets of around $2 million. When the first threat of fire emerged he organised to send his flock of cattle to a northern property.

He said the work by local firefighters and the Huon Valley council had been outstanding in communicating with nearby fire-threatened residents.