Maydena resident reveals he feared the worst as black smoke filled the sky

A Maydena resident has revealed he feared the worst when he woke to see black smoke filling the sky.

“THIS is the end. I just felt sick and thought this looks like doomsday”.

These were the first thoughts Maydena Community Association president Tim Parkes had when he woke to see black smoke filling the sky above his property on Friday morning.

Mr Parkes said he experienced sheer fear when he saw the smoke clouding the town.

The smoke is from an out of control bush fire burning at Gells River about 20km west of the town.

“Early this morning everyone was panicking,” he said.

“Our instant thought was ‘oh no, the town is burning’.”

MORE FIRE NEWS:

UNCONTROLLED BUSHFORE BURNS UNABATED

FAMILY PREPARES TO EVACUATE AS FIRE INTENSIFIES

GALLERY: BUSHFIRE HAZE BLANKETS HOBART

MAYDENA BIKE PARK CLOSED AS FIRE RAGES

Smoke from bushfires darken the skies at Maydena Bike Park. Picture: ALEX McWHIRTER

The Gell River fire, which is around 8000ha in size, has sent scares around the town – about 80km west of Hobart – after up to 100 people were told to leave the Maydena Bike Park.

Hundreds of Hobart residents have also taken to social media uploading images of the smoke as it spread across Hobart’s sky.

The Bureau of Meteorology predicted a top of 36C for Hobart on Friday, however temperatures peaked at 33.2C at noon. The heat has dramatically cooled, dipping to about 22C by 3pm.

Mr Parkes said the smoke haze has lessened at Maydena, which had also provided calm for residents.

“I think we’re counting our lucky stars that things haven’t deteriorated,” he said.

“Earlier this morning it was just mortifying with black, dark smoke blocking any view of the mountains. But everything appears very calm at the moment and the smoke has thinned out considerably.”