Recovery starts as fires continue to rage in Tasmania

UPDATED: Geeveston residents are breathing a whole lot easier today with good rain drenching the area. NEW PHOTOS, VIDEO

UPDATED: NOT even the discovery her cafe had a leaky roof could dampen Fiona McAlpine’s spirits after much welcome rain fell across Geeveston.

Ms McAlpine, from Baker and Co Providore and Patisserie, said the rain “didn’t stop all night”.

“I think there was 20mm — one of my farmer friends told me,” she said.

“Everyone is delighted. We’re buoyant about this but the town is still dead quiet in the street.”

Matthew Tack, who farms on Arve Rd, said the rain brought “a massive release of tension down here”.

“There has been some people getting together and breathing a collective sigh of relief,” he said.

“What it has meant for is we we can leave the farm for the first time in two and a half weeks and see some of the people we haven’t been able to see and catch up with.”

Mr Tack praised Tasmania Fire Service crews and the local council for their efforts in recent weeks and said the wet weather would give the town “a bit more breathing space”.

“We’ve got livestock so we’ve got to be ready to deal with them in a way to ensure they survive any fire that comes through,” Mr Tack said.

Ms McAlpine said the rain allowed Geeveston residents to enjoy “a good night’s sleep”.

‘It’ll clear things up a bit, dampen the fires and hopefully put them out.”

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EARLIER: TASMANIANS have woken to the sound of decent rainfall for first time this year but firefighters say the threat is far from over.

Reports indicate rain has hit the Great Pine Tier, Riveaux Road, Gell River, Brittons Swamp and South-West blazes overnight, easing the fire risk to a number of Tasmanian communities.

The series of rainbands delivered between 30mm and 50mm to elevated parts of the North-West and North-East.

As of 7am this morning, the fire-affected town of Geeveston had welcomed 17mm, while Hobart had received 25mm.

The rain hasn’t hit all blazes heavily, with Miena recording only 6mm and the Upper Derwent Valley 5mm, but meteorologist Luke Johnston said showers were set to continue.

“There’s more rain on the way, with another 10mm to 20mm expected for most of the state,” he said.

“There’s some thunderstorms within the rainband this morning that will increase rainfall. In the afternoon, we’re likely to see showers and thunderstorms develop statewide.

“The rain is currently hitting the northern slopes of the Central Plateau and the rest of the area is in a bit of a shadow.”

Fire near Lake Augusta Rd in the Central Highlands. PICTURE CHRIS KIDD

Mr Johnston said “persistent showers” were predicted about the West and Far-South of the state for the next week.

Despite the favourable weather conditions, the Tasmania Fire Service is urging Tasmanians not to become complacent.

TFS station officer Darren Gye said the additional rain would assist fire crews to black out hot spots and extinguish fire edges along many containment lines.

“TFS and partner agencies will spend today reassessing the risk posed by the fires, however it may take some days before the full impact of this rain event can be assessed properly,” he said.

“Low cloud may make flying difficult in some areas and the rain may make some fire containment lines unsafe or hard to access by vehicle or on foot.

“TFS advises people who are planning on returning to their property to take steps to assure the safety of themselves and their families. Trees on your property impacted by fire may be unsafe and water tanks may have been contaminated by ash, dead animals or firefighting foams and retardants.”

For more information visit the TasALERT website.

EARLIER: Rebuilding and firefighting efforts are in progress in Tasmania’s Central Highlands, with burnt power poles being replaced as water bombers fly overhead to control the ragged edges of the still-active Great Pine Tier fire.

On Lake Augusta Rd, sprinklers were used to protect Marcos Ambrose’s Thousand Lakes Lodge fishing lodge.

“The sprinklers, owned by Parks and Wildlife Service, proved very successful, while backburning has protected heritage huts and other properties around Brandum, Liawenee and Reynolds Neck,” Chris Emms from the PWS said at Miena on Wednesday.

The fire has burnt 55,000ha and there were active blazes on 40 per cent of its perimeter, much in remote and difficult terrain. Eighty firefighters were on the ground.

Power lines being repaired at Lake Augusta Rd, Central Highlands. PICTURE: CHRIS KIDD.

“We are focused on tidying up the ragged edges from the fire’s run on Sunday,” Mr Emms said.

“The forecast rains won’t put the fires out but will make inroads, especially in remote areas.

“The crews are fatigued but committed to doing what is needed to pull it up.”

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A helicopter drops water on spot fires near Lake Augusta Rd, Central Highlands. PICTURE CHRIS KIDD

The Great Pine Tier fire was one of 15 bushfires still burning around Tasmania. It, the Riveaux Rd blaze in the Huon Valley and the Gell River fire in the southwest wilderness were keeping firefighters the most busy.

Fires in inaccessible areas near Glen Huon were water bombed on Wednesday.

Tasmania Fire Service Station Officer Darren Gye said crews tried to tie in the fire edge with back burning in places from Glendevie to Geeveston, however prevailing winds pushed the fire towards the Arthur Ranges.

There were also bushfires in the far North-West around Brittons Swamp and on the West Coast near Zeehan.

Emergency Services Minister Michael Ferguson and Parks and Wildlife Service deputy operations manager Chris Emms at Miena. PICTURE CHRIS KIDD

Rain started falling in the North on Wednesday, with widespread thunderstorms expected around the state on Thursday.

Police and Emergency Minister Michael Ferguson said while firefighters continued their efforts, the State Government had also moved into recovery mode, setting up a Bushfire Recovery Taskforce.

He praised the efforts of all involved in the state’s six-week firefighting effort.

“I am optimist about the prospect of rain on Thursday and showers into Friday. But we cannot be complacent. A watch and act message can soon become an emergency.”

The TFS echoed that message.

“These fires will continue to remain a risk to communities for some time yet,” it said.

Meanwhile, Tasmania Police issued a fresh warning about the use of drones after they received a report of one flying in the area of the Great Pine Tier fire.

The drone was allegedly seen flying near Poatina Rd in the Central Highlands on Wednesday but it did not hamper air operations.

The report came less than a week after police were called to investigate a drone sighting in a bushfire-affected area near Arve Rd at Geeveston.

Tasmania Police also interviewed and referred a 37-year-old Howrah drone pilot to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority after an incident on Christmas Day.

Also on Wednesday, authorities said it was important to remember that even when an environment appeared safe there could be other risks to be considered such as electrical and infrastructure damage, trees which had the potential to fall and escaping animals.