Fires in Tasmania
Fires in Tasmania
13 October 2006
Wind change pushes Hobartbushfire toward highway
Firefightersbattling a bushfire east of Hobart have suffered a setback
Asudden wind change has scuttled plans to bring the fire under control at TunnelHill, near Mornington.
LateThursday night, fire crews had hope to start burning off at the fire front butthe wind has now changed and become stronger, pushing the fire towards MountRumney and the Tasman Highway.
Districtofficer Gerald Crawford says that is bad news and if the wind does not change orease again it will be no surprise to see houses lost by morning.
Morefire crews are rushing up to Mount Rumney to attempt to stop the blaze.
Policesay city-bound lanes of the Tasman Highway between Cambridge and Morningtonremain closed due to backburning.
Firesat Currie, on King Island in Bass Strait, have now been contained but others arestill not under control, including a blaze that spread from Risdon Vale toGeilston Bay, Lindisfarne and Warrane.
Thefire, which is believed to have been deliberately lit, has destroyed a shed anda car.
Chieffire officer John Gledhill says it is lucky no homes have been destroyed but itis not time to breathe a sigh of relief just yet.
“Ithink this fire will continue to burn well into [Friday],” he said.
“Westill have high fire danger conditions, not extreme like [Thursday], so Isuspect it’s going to be at least tomorrow and maybe into the weekend before weget around this fire.”
Thousandsof homes remain without power and phone lines have been cut.
Source: ABC News Online 13 October 2006-10-24 http://abc.net.au/news/australia/tas/northtas/200610/s1763767.htm
Figure 1.Location of wildfires in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, depicted by MODIS
Figure 2. Bushfireson the Eastern Shore of Hobart – 12 October 2006. The shot was taken by amateurphotographer, Ian Stewart, from his balcony in Mount Nelson. The lights ofKanagaroo Bay lie in the midground between fire and Derwent waters. ©2006 IanStewart – eehan.deviantart.com (including the following photographs with courtesy by Ian Steward)
Thefollowing photographs were also taken by Ian Steward – ©2006 Ian Stewart:
