Two Tasmanian fire stations were targeted by thieves who stole fire equipment
UPDATE: 4PM: A man has been charged after allegedly starting a fire at Mangana in the state’s North last week, where more than 8000ha of bushland has been destroyed.
Tasmania
Don't miss out on the headlines from Tasmania. Followed categories will be added to My News.
UPDATE 3.30pm: A MAN has been charged after allegedly starting a fire at Mangana in the state’s North last week where more than 8000ha of bushland has been destroyed.
Police on Saturday afternoon said a man from Mangana has been charged in relation to a fire which occured at Mangana on December 30.
The man has been charged with unlawfully setting fire to vegetation and lighting fire on a total fire ban day.
He will appear in an out of hours Launceston court at 8pm on Saturday night.
A bushfire Watch and Act message remains in place for Mangana and Fingal.
There is no immediate threat, however, fire conditions can change rapidly dependent on winds, the Tasmania Fire Service said.
There is no Evacuation Centre open at the moment but a drop-in centre is at the Fingal Neighbourhood House 20 Talbot Street, Fingal for fire information from 8am-8pm.
RELATED:
FIRE REDUCES FARM TO A ‘WAR ZONE’
UPDATE 12.30pm: THERE is an eerie feeling in Fingal today as the community braces for severe bushfire conditions.
Thick smoke blankets the town and two large fires still burn to the area’s north and south.
Local shop workers packed hundreds of lunches for firefighters who have been working tirelessly in the area, some since November.
Residents gathered at the community hall to hear the latest briefing and volunteer firefighters prepared their trucks and equipment.
“At the moment it seems to be all right, but we’re expecting the weather to change,” Fingal resident and volunteer firefighter Paul Southworth said this morning.
The wind started to pick up about 11am.
The current weather forecast for Fingal is a top of 32C and 31km/h winds.
There are watch and act alerts in place for Mangana, Fingal, the Tower Hill area and areas surrounding Fingal.
“The wind is going to pick up, the temperature’s going to get hot and the conditions are going to be pretty severe here,” Mr Southworth said.
“The Fingal fire brigade is here on standby and we’re the instant response unit today.
“If anything happens around here and Mangana, we’ll be getting out there and doing our bit.”
Mr Southworth said there was a nervous feeling in the community.
“People see the smoke and they get really concerned. You can see the glow from the fires at night.”
Mr Southworth said constantly changing wind and weather conditions made it difficult to predict what might firefighters may be facing this afternoon.
“Just being out on the fire ground, you see how the wind just changes constantly.”
Mr Southworth said most residents were remaining in the area for now.
“Most people are here, but some have left. Manganna, I think they’ve left. Some have gone back, but they’ll have to leave again I would think.”
There is an evacuation centre set up at St Marys.
“I think [residents] are feeling pretty nervous, because we haven’t had something like this.
“I think 2006 they had the big fires come through here, so yeah, everyone’s a bit nervous now.”
Mr Southworth was fighting fires in NSW, north of Kempsey, about two months ago.
“That was pretty fierce and I think it’s a lot worse now than it was when we were there,” he said.
“I just hope it doesn’t come here like that.”
UPDATE 10am: “CALLOUS” thieves have targeted two Tasmanian fire stations and stolen fire equipment as dozens of bushfires burn across the state.
Police on Saturday morning said officers were investigating a burglary and stealing from the Weymouth Fire Station in the state’s North that occurred about 10pm on Friday night.
Inspector Adam Mollineaux said thieves entered the volunteer station at Weymouth Rd and stole a base-station radio receiver. The nearby Pipers River station was also targeted but entry was unsuccessful.
Insp Mollineaux said the theft was particularly callous given the bushfire situation locally and nationwide.
“We have bushfires burning across the country, including here in Tasmania. Emergency
services and local volunteer brigades such as Weymouth and Pipers River are preparing for
another very high fire danger day tomorrow and something like this happens - it beggars belief,” he said.
Tasmania Fire Service Chief Officer Chris Arnol said last weekend, the state had 406 recorded lightning strikes that left Tasmania with 193 fires – of which 30 were still going, including the “four major fires of concern” at Fingal, Strathgordon, Glenlusk and Pelham.
Members of the public who saw anyone acting suspiciously in the vicinity of Weymouth on Friday evening are asked to call George Town Police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
The burglary comes as four bushfires at Fingal in the state’s North remain at Watch and Act level on Saturday morning.
The TFS website at 10am listed Valley Rd, Mangana, Tower Hill area and Fingal and surrounds at Watch and Act alert level, as fires ravage about 8000ha of Fingal bushland.
There is no Evacuation Centre open at the moment but a drop-in centre is at the Fingal Neighbourhood House, 20 Talbot Street, Fingal for fire information from 8am-8pm.
Royal George to Nowhere Else and Mathinna Rd to Mathinna at Fingal were listed at Advice level.
Collinsvale Rd at Glenlusk, Pelham, Elderslie and Broadmarsh areas and Pearce Basin in the state’s South West also have Advice warnings.
The TFS on Saturday morning said bushfires in Tasmania may make smoke and ash visible across the state.
E ARLIER: LIGHTNING strikes, accidents and arsonists sparked dozens of blazes across Tasmania over the past week, with communities urged to stay vigilant as hot and windy conditions return this weekend.
Two houses have been destroyed in the fires – one at Elderslie in the Pelham Road fire, and one at Tower Hill Road, Fingal.
ROLLING COVERAGE: FIREYS PRAISED FOR SAVING HOMES
RESIDENTS’ FEARS REMAIN AFTER CLOSE CALL
LATEST PICTURES: FIRES THREATEN COMMUNITIES
The Glenlusk fire near Hobart has been deemed accidental, caused by hot coals from a firepot being discarded in the bush, while police are investigating the deliberately lit Fingal blaze along with a fire just north of Launceston and some smaller blazes across the state.
Tasmania Fire Service Chief Officer Chris Arnol said last weekend, the state had 406 recorded lightning strikes that left Tasmania with 193 fires – of which 30 were still going, including the “four major fires of concern” at Fingal, Strathgordon, Glenlusk and Pelham.
Mr Arnol said Saturday was a high fire danger day with a total fire ban in the state’s north and south.
WATER SQUEEZE HITS COASTAL TOWN
He asked Tasmanians and visitors to avoid entering danger areas, to observe fire bans, and report any new blazes or people trying to light fires.
Mr Arnol said the 8000ha Fingal-Mangana Road fire, which is still not contained, was the TFS’s major concern.
“Fire activity, as it’s been tracking on this fire, of an evening becomes very erratic. It’s associated with wind direction and sea breeze,” he said.
“There’s 35 crews and machinery on the fire today and we’re going to do some backburning to see if we can contain those fires.”
Mr Arnol said residents in the area were advised to stay away.
“We’ve had some reports of people going back into the Mangana area – that might be contrary to our advice … we’re not letting people back in because it’s too dangerous at the moment, we want to make the place safe,” he said.
“If people are returning without us knowing … they’re in danger.”
Mr Arnol said the Mount Malcolm area to the south of the Fingal-Mangana fire was the “difficult area that’s uncontained” and could threaten the Douglas Aplsey National Park.
Mr Arnol said firefighters were advising tourists to avoid the Esk Highway on Tasmania’s East Coast due to smoke and firefighting activity.
He also said the Glenlusk fire, just outside Hobart, which was reported at 2.30pm on Thursday, was contained to 3.5ha thanks to 29 firefighting trucks and eight aircraft – with firefighters managing to save a home.
“If we hadn’t put that fire out yesterday, it would be in Hobart tomorrow, as predictions would tell us,” he said.
“The rapid response is an excellent example of how things work well if it’s reported quickly.”
He said the Pearce Basin fire at Strathgordon was “slowly increasing in size” to 2700ha, but firefighters were containing the edges and there was no risk to communities.
The 3000ha Pelham fire, north of Hobart, was now contained along with a 2700ha fire on Flinders Island.
Tasmania Police Acting Commissioner Scott Tilyard said a team of detectives was currently investigating the deliberately lit Fingal-Mangana Road fire.
“The community are our eyes and ears – and that includes visitors to the state – so if they see smoke or they see people they believe are intentionally trying to light a fire, they should ring triple-0 immediately.”
Mr Arnol said there was “nothing more appalling for a firefighter than an arsonist”, which stretched resources and scared communities.
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment secretary Jason Jacobi said no parks would be closed on Saturday although some minor tracks were shut this weekend, mainly around Strathgordon and the Douglas Apsley National Park.
Tasmania Police has issued a warning to motorists to take care in fire-affected areas by slowing down, driving to conditions, and turning their headlights on when visibility was reduced.
A list of up-to-date road closures is available at: www.police.tas.gov.au/community-alerts
Five whales stranded on remote Tasmanian beach
A remote beach will remain closed following the death of five sperm whales that beached on Flinders Island. What researchers hope to uncover with samples from the carcasses.
One and done: Hobart music festival canned
After just one year the organisers of a Hobart summer musical festival have announced plans to can it. Here’s why HAYDAYS will not go ahead in 2024 >>