Tasmania Fire Service crews remain on alert for extreme weather forecast
LATEST: An “uncontrollable and unpredictable” fire is posing a severe risk to properties near Fingal with residents told it is too late to leave.
Tasmania
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LATEST: RESIDENTS of Mangana and Tower Hill have been warned it is too late to leave their properties as a fire threatens the area.
The Tasmania Fire Service said properties are at severe risk now and the approaching fire would be uncontrollable and unpredictable.
Residents who have not yet left for the evacuation centre at St Marys have been advised to shelter in place.
The TFS also said the fire at Pelham may destroy homes now in Pelham as well as areas including Pelham Road and Honners Road.
This fire is fast moving and is burning in a south-easterly direction towards Horners Road Bluff Road, Elderslie and Broadmarsh.
The fire is creating dangerous spot fires ahead of the main fire front.
Residents are being advised the safest action to take is to evacuate now.
There is an evacuation centre at the Brighton Civic Centre at 25 Green Point Road, Bridgewater.
If you don’t have safe route to a safer place, shelter inside your home until the fire passes.
Do not try to return if you are out of the area.
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EARLIER: AN emergency warning has been issued for Mangana and Tower Hill, near Fingal, southwest of Scamander.
The Tasmania Fire Service said the fire would be difficult to control and it would put the communities at severe risk within two hours.
The TFS warned falling embers would threaten homes before the main fire and smoke and ash would make it difficult to see and breathe.
If your home is well prepared for severe risk fires and you can actively defend it, it should provide shelter, but if your home is unprepared, go to a safer location now only if the path is clear.
There is an evacuation centre at St Marys Hall, Main Road, St Marys.
If your family has made a bushfire survival plan, use it now.
If you don’t live near Mangana and Tower Hill, stay away.
An emergency warning has also been issued for Elderslie and Broadmarsh because of the uncontrolled bushfire at Pelham.
The fire is expected to put Elderslie and Broadmarsh at high risk this evening. This includes Bluff Road, Grahams Creek Road and Storeys Road.
The fire danger will be severe. Fire under these conditions will be uncontrollable and fast moving.
Embers, smoke and ash falling on Elderslie and Broadmarsh could threaten your home earlier than the main fire.
The TFS said the safest thing to do was go to a safer location now well before the fire hits.
If you are going to leave, make sure there is a clear road to a safer place. There is an evacuation centre opening at 6.30pm at Brighton Civic Centre at 25 Green Point Road, Bridgewater.
Only strongly defended homes, made to be bushfire proof in severe conditions, can protect your life.
Do not try to travel to the area as the roads could be highly dangerous.
EARLIER: AN uncontrolled bushfire at Pelham in the Derwent Valley will put lives in danger and may destroy homes, the Tasmania Fire Service warns.
An emergency warning has been issued for the fire, which is creating dangerous spot fires ahead of the main front.
The TFS said thick smoke and embers would cause more spot fires which could move quickly and come from many directions.
Residents have been warned that the safest action to take is to evacuate immediately to a safer place, such as Brighton or Hamilton.
The TFS warned residents if there isn’t a safe route to a safer place, shelter inside your home until the fire passes.
Do not try to return if you are out of the area.
Smoke from the fire is affecting northern Hobart suburbs, including Brighton, as well as the Midland Highway and the towns of Kempton and Bagdad.
People travelling in the area should exercise caution if driving in smoke. Turn on your headlights and drive slowly.
People with medical conditions are advised to have a personal plan for avoiding smoke from the burn.
Advice is available from the Department of Health or Asthma Australia.
Up-to-date information is available at the TFS website.
A watch and act alert has also been issued for Elderslie, with a fire putting the two at high risk this afternoon.
The TFS said if your home is well prepared for very high risk fires and you can actively defend it, it should provide shelter.
If you are going to leave, make sure you have a clear path to a safer place.
If your family has made a bushfire survival plan, use it now.
If you don’t live near Elderslie, stay away. The roads could become highly dangerous.
EARLIER: The Tasmania Fire Service has nine resources attending a blaze off Pelham Rd and the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife service also has crews in attendance.
The TFS said the fire may put Pelham and Pelham Road at high risk now.
If your home is well prepared for high risk fires and you can actively defend it, it should provide shelter.
People who are on the southern side of Sonners Road and Espies Craig Road are urged to move south to the Elderslie Golf Course, which has been identified as a nearby safer place for those evacuating their homes.
If your family has made a bushfire survival plan, use it now.
If you don’t live near Pelham, stay away. The roads could become highly dangerous.
Fire under these conditions will be difficult to control.
Burning embers falling on Pelham may threaten homes before the main fire.
Smoke and ash may make it difficult to see and breathe, TFS said.
EARLIER: An advice warning has been issued for Penna, northwest of Sorell, with a bushfire flaring at Brinktop Rd.
The Tasmania Fire Service said there is no immediate threat to any property.
The TFS advised well-prepared homes are defendable but the fire could be difficult to control in these conditions.
Those people who are not prepared for a bushfire have been warned to think about leaving for a safe place if it gets more dangerous.
EARLIER: A bushfire watch and act alert has been issued for Strathgordon in Tasmania’s South-West.
The Tasmania Fire Service issued the message at 2.09pm.
The bushfire may put Strathgordon and Gordon River Rd at severe risk this afternoon.
The TFS said fire under these conditions can be uncontrollable and fast moving, and burning embers falling on Strathgordon may threaten before the main fire.
Smoke and ash may make it difficult to see and breathe.
The TFS said due to the remote location, it is too late to leave. Anybody on Gordon River Rd should return to Maydena and those already at Strathgordon should not attempt to leave.
The Pedder Wilderness Lodge at Strathgordon has been identified as a nearby safe place and anyone in that area should head there now.
Gordon River Rd has been closed at the Scotts Peak turn-off due to a bushfire in the area.
If your family has made a bushfire survival plan, use it now.
Visit the TFS website or listen to ABC Local Radio for more information.
UPDATED: TASMANIANS are being urged to remain vigilant ahead of worsening fire conditions this afternoon.
Tasmania Fire Service chief officer Chris Arnol said a lightning storm is expected to cross the state this afternoon, which poses a serious risk of starting fires.
“As of lunchtime the fire danger ratings have already reached severe and will increase to extreme as the afternoon progresses,” Mr Arnol said.
“We need the community’s help to get on top of any fires quickly, so if lightning does cross your property and you see a fire please call TFS on triple-0 immediately.”
TFS has volunteer and career crews standing by at stations, strike teams at Dunalley, Ouse and Campbell Town, and aircraft located around the state ready to respond to any new fires.
Meanwhile, the TFS said smoke and haze across parts of Tasmania is coming from bushfires in Victoria and NSW.
In a brief statement shortly after noon, the TFS said parts of Tasmania, particularly on the East Coast, were looking smoky and hazey, and the smoke and haze was likely to remain or worsen across the state today and into tonight.
The TFS said it would like the community to be aware the smoke and haze was coming from interstate, but urged people not to hesitate to call triple-0 to report any new smoke sightings.
People with medical conditions are advised to have a personal plan for avoiding smoke from the burn.
Advice is available from the Department of Health or Asthma Australia.
Up-to-date information is available at the TFS website.
The bottom half of the Bay of Fires Trail, Ansons Bay to Swimcart Beach, has been closed due to weather conditions and information received from the Bureau of Meteoroglogy and TFS.
The Lyell Highway has been completely blocked near the Tarraleah Power Station in the Central Highlands due to a fallen tree. In a brief statement about 1.30pm, police said motorists were asked to avoid the area until the tree is removed.
EARLIER: THE Bureau of Meteorology says temperatures and fire risk are expected to peak this afternoon ahead of a cool change.
Extreme fire danger is forecast for the Midlands, upper Derwent Valley, and South-East today, while severe fire danger is forecast for the East Coast and Central Plateau districts, and very high fire danger for all remaining districts except the North-West.
The temperature in Hobart had reached 31.2C by 11.30am.
The BOM said thunderstorms are likely from this afternoon into early Tuesday with no significant rainfall expected, which will bring an increased risk of dry lightning and new fire starts.
Thunderstorms are also expected to bring strong and gusty north-westerly winds, with gusts of 80-90km/h possible.
BOM state manager Simon McCulloch said the fire risk would peak from “about 1pm or 2pm onwards until we get a change this evening”.
“The change is likely to bring cooler westerly winds, so we’ll get an easing in conditions and perhaps a little bit of rain, not a significant amount of rain,” Mr McCulloch said.
Warnings will be reviewed and updated throughout the day, and can be viewed at the BOM website.
The Tasmania Fire Service has issued a total fire ban for today and remains in place until 2am Tuesday in the north and south.
EARLIER: FIRE crews remain on standby amid predicted extreme weather conditions on Monday as potentially damaging conditions threaten Tasmania.
A statewide total fire ban remains current for Monday as the Tasmania Fire Service has advised bushland residents to relocate to urban areas ahead of temperatures reaching 40C.
DECEMBER’S HOTTEST DAY SINCE 1897
The TFS reported a fire broke out at a garage on Barron Ave, Goodwood, shortly after 12am on Monday morning.
A TFS spokeswoman said the cause of the blaze was unknown and investigations were ongoing.
TFS chief officer Chris Arnol yesterday said residents in all parts of the state needed to remain vigilant throughout Monday.
“Tasmanians need to be prepared for a challenging day as hot temperatures, strong gusty winds and low humidity is forecast to push the fire danger to extreme in parts of the state,” he said.
He said ground crews and aircraft would be pre-positioned, including ground crews at the Marion Bay Falls Festival site.
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