Forestry burn-off breaks containment lines near Maydena
A smokey smell filled the air at Hobart’s Waterfront today, drifting from Parliament House to Salamanca Square, in protest of a recent out-of-control forestry burn. LATEST >>
Tasmania
Don't miss out on the headlines from Tasmania. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A SMOKEY smell filled the air at Hobart’s Waterfront on Tuesday morning, drifting from Parliament House to Salamanca Square.
Two groups of protesters coincidentally had the same idea: to protest against Sustainable Timber Tasmania’s forest burns outside state parliament.
One group from the Bob Brown Foundation ignited flares. Some 40 protesters let the bright orange flames burn at Parliament House and outside Hobart’s General Post Office about 9am to signify the “flattening and incineration” of the state’s forests.
Campaign manager Jenny Weber said the group demanded an “immediate ban” on post-logging burns following the recent STT blaze which became a bushfire when it escaped containment lines in the Styx Valley.
“We are losing vast tracts of native forests while disastrous logging burns pollute the world’s cleanest air, kill wildlife and (dump) massive amounts of carbon into the atmosphere,” she said.
Tasmania Police advised organisers of the dangers of using flares and will consider further police action.
The other gathering included three concerned locals armed with photos of felled trees and messages to protect the forests.
Locals Maria Riedl and Gill Gravell were joined by state Greens candidate for Lyons Liz Johnstone to beg the government to stop forest burns.
“ (STT) just clear-fells, slashes and then burns the evidence and creates pollution,” Ms Riedl said.
“The amount of smoke over Hobart was just totally unacceptable.”
Ms Riedl asked why the government gave priority to STT instead of beekeepers and agriculture workers for use of forest areas.
Resources Minister Guy Barnett said the planned burns between March and May aided natural regeneration and reduced bushfire risk for harvested forests.
“The Tasmanian Liberal Government strongly supports both our Apiary and Forest industries and worked hard to establish an MOU between the Tasmanian Beekeepers Association, Australian Honey Bee Industry Council and Sustainable Timber Tasmania that recognises the ongoing collaboration between the two sectors,” he said.
“Tasmania has one of the highest proportions of reserved land on the planet and we have world leading conservation, forest protection and land management, with 51 per cent of our land formally reserved.
“We also protect more than one million hectares of Tasmania’s old growth forests and after native timbers are harvested, STT actively re-sow the area and regrow the forest to be harvested in the future.”
In state parliament Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said STT was a “rogue” government business that had started a fire when it should not have – on a long weekend, six days after the end of summer.
Ms O’Connor asked Premier Peter Gutwein, who is also Tourism Minister, how
forestry burns fit with the objectives of the tourism industry.
“Do you agree that logging burns make a mockery of your Come Down for Air campaign?” she said.
Mr Gutwein said the escaped fire had been “relatively small” and had at no point threatened people, property or natural tourism assets.
STT said the Styx Valley site was currently controlled with “very little smoke” and no active fire, with plans to strengthen containment lines and black out hot spots this week.
Forestry loses control of regen burn
Blair Richards and David Killick
Tasmania’s Fire Service are warning residents near a bushfire burning through nearly 200 hectares at Styx to prepare their homes in case conditions worsen.
As of 3.29pm Friday, TFS says “the fire remains stable, is not running or out of control and no properties are under threat”.
“Water bombing aircraft are operating in support of firefighters at Styx,” TFS said.
“Keep well clear as the falling water has the potential to cause injury to anyone in the drop zone. Watercraft in area are requested to maintain a safe distance from aircraft.”
TFS said while there was “no immediate threat”, fire under these conditions “can be difficult to control”.
The Styx Road bushfire is currently 193 hectares in size.
What to do:
- People in Styx should keep up to date by looking at the TFS website at www.fire.tas.gov.au.
- Well prepared homes are defendable in these conditions.
- If you are not prepared for a bushfire, think about leaving for a safe place if it gets more dangerous.
- If your family has made a bushfire survival plan, check it now.
The bushfire was caused by a Sustainable Timber Tasmania regeneration burn in Styx Valley Rd that jumped containment lines.
In a statement issued this morning STT said their aim today was to strengthen containment lines established last night, and to monitor and put out hot spots ahead of forecasted rain and wind changes tomorrow.
Late last night, crews conducted back burning operations to contain the bushfire.
There are 14 Sustainable Timber Tasmania firefighting crews on site and two Parks and Wildlife crews and five crews from SFM Resources.
The statement said “The current residual smoke was not planned and unintended. Sustainable Timber Tasmania is disappointed of the outcome of this regeneration burn and will undertake a post burn operational review to learn from this event. Sustainable Timber Tasmania will continue to work with stakeholders such as wine growers and the tourism industry to cooperatively adapt future management for mutual benefit.”
Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said an internal review of the fire was not good enough.
“Resources Minister, Guy Barnett, needs to commit to an independent examination of what went wrong and why – and make the full findings public,” Ms O’Connor said.
“Ultimately, these logging burns can’t be justified. They are a danger to people, to businesses, to threatened and endangered wildlife, to Tasmania’s wilderness and to the climate.”
MARCH 11:
A forestry regeneration burn-off has broken through containment lines and has burned through 130 hectares of bush near Maydena in the upper Derwent Valley.
The fire, started by Sustainable Timber Tasmania at the weekend, is currently out of control, the Tasmania Fire Service said.
Seven light tankers, a heavy tanker, two bulldozers, an excavator and three helicopter were fighting to contain the fire. There is no immediate threat to property.
A smoke alert has been issued around New Norfolk, Bushy Park, Westerway and Gretna “as there may be visible smoke and ash from this fire”. The blaze was among those which upset local tourism operators at the weekend after clouding the Dewent Valley with smoke.
The fire is burning near the Styx River about 12km southwest of Bushy Park.
Winds in the area at present are light: around 7km/h from the north.
The government owned-forestry company said the fire had spread due to weather conditions.
“Sustainable Timber Tasmania is currently managing a fire in the Styx Valley,” the company said in a statement.
“The fire originated from a planned regeneration burn conducted on Saturday that crossed containment lines on Wednesday due to gusty wind conditions on site.
“Prior to yesterday, monitoring of the planned burn had confirmed that the original containment lines had been effective. The current fire size is 130 hectares.
“Sustainable Timber Tasmania crews, heavy plant and helicopters are onsite to establish and restrict the fire to new containment lines.
“An operational review will be undertaken by Sustainable Timber Tasmania to understand and learn from the burn.”
The Styx Valley is home to the Styx Tall Trees Conservation Area, featuring Eucalyptus regnans which are among the largest and tallest eucalypts on the planet.
The Bob Brown Foundation called for a police inquiry into the fire.
“As with any other fire burning out of control, Tasmania Police should urgently investigate the Styx logging fire”, Bob Brown said. “If a tourist operator was responsible for this fire they would lose their licence.
“This Sustainable Timber Tasmania fire has already burned five times the intended area, cost taxpayers many thousands of dollars and if uncontrolled tomorrow threatens the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, just four kilometres away. Wildlife is being scorched in this burning forest.”
Greens leader Cassy O’Connor also condemned the burn.
“Forestry Tasmania has serious questions to answer. It started burning just days after the end of summer and now there’s a large escaped fire near Maydena and threatening the World Heritage Area.
“What kind of risk assessment did they use? It was obviously flawed.”
Styx Valley logging fire out of control. An urgent immediate inquiry is needed as it appears a ‘regeneration burn’ that was ‘completed’ on Sat has got out of control today. Flattening & incinerating wild forests & aggravating climate change needs to end. #bantheburns#politaspic.twitter.com/5zrUIRgjar
— Bob Brown Foundation (@BobBrownFndn) March 10, 2021
Teen kept in cell with no mattress, but conditions improving: report
A teenage prisoner was kept in a cell without a mattress or any personal items under an unsanctioned “hostile management regime” at the Risdon Prison Complex, a report has found.
New cabinet incoming after second minister in a week quits
Nic Street has resigned from cabinet because of mental health issues, saying it’s ‘probably the most selfish decision I’ve made in eight years in politics’. What his resignation means for govt.