Interstate crews on their way to beef up fire fight
Smoke and ash is expected to blanket Hobart and eastern Tasmania as westerly winds hit the bushfires burning across the state.
Tasmania
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SMOKE and ash is expected to blanket Hobart and eastern Tasmania as westerly winds hit the bushfires burning across the state.
More interstate help arrives on Saturday morning with several fire service planning and intelligence specialists due to touch down at Hobart Airport.
MORE FIRES NEWS:
NEW SMOKE ALERT AS BUSHFIRE BATTLE CONTINUES
FIREYS BATTLE TO STOP FIRES MERGING
SOUTH-WEST BUSHWALKERS FLOWN TO SAFETY
Organisers have also cancelled the annual Australia Day Lake Pedder fishing competition because of the 32 South-West fires.
Lake Pedder Anglers Club president Matthew Hill said a social event would now take place at Wayatinah Lagoon from January 24-28.
“It’s with a heavy heart that I have to say the competition is off,” he said.
“It’s very disappointing but we have to put safety first.
“With advice from Tasmania Fire Service, who does an excellent job up there with Parks and Wildlife Service, we’ve deemed it to be in the best of the members and public’s interest not to run the competition due to the fires.”
He said they were hoping to run another competition over Easter.
About 160 firefighters and 22 aircraft continue to battle 68 bushfires throughout Tasmania.
Several fires took small runs on Friday with crews aiming to strengthen containment lines on Saturday to try and stop fires from spreading or merging.
An Advice alert was issued for Tahune and surrounding areas on Friday afternoon with a 6.3ha fire burning in Riveaux Rd.
Tahune Airwalk remains open but the 5km swinging bridge path and walking tracks across the Huon and Picton rivers are closed.
A “Watch and Act” alert was issued on Friday evening for Lake Fergus, Great Pine Tier and Little Pine Lagoon and an “Advice” alert is still in place for Maydena, Tyenna and Mt Field National Park.
“None of these fires pose a risk to communities or infrastructure at this stage,” Tasmania Fire Service deputy chief officer Bruce Byatt said.
“We have been lucky to have reasonably favourable conditions that have allowed us to focus our efforts on suppression, containing and extinguishing many of these fires.”
Mr Byatt said recreational users of Lake Pedder should be aware that firefighting aircraft will be using the lake to access water for the fire.
“Signage is being placed at boat ramps around the lake and TFS urge all users to follow the instructions,” he said.
“Alternately people may like to find another fishing spot.”
Parks and Wildlife Service operations manager Mark Bryce said all registered bushwalkers had been relocated.
“There’s approximately 190km of track that we’ve checked and removed walkers from,” he said.
“It’s taken the best part of two days to do that.
“We’re not aware of anyone that’s on those tracks that have been closed.”
Updated track closures can be checked at parks.tas.gov.au.
Smoke alerts are in place for Greater Hobart, D’Entrecasteaux Channel, Derwent Valley, Huon Valley, Bruny Island and Marlborough Highway near Little Pine Lagoon.
jack.paynter@news.com.au
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