Firefighters welcome cool change
Firefighters welcome cool change
18 March 2008
published by www.abc.net.au
Tasmania, Australia — Tasmanian firefighters have welcomed cooler weather in the state’s north-west, easing the bushfire threat.
It comes after an open cut mine was evacuated earlier today.
The fire near Savage River has burnt about 16,000 hectares of rainforest and scrub.
It started on Saturday and this morning was closing in on the Savage River iron ore mine with thick smoke resulting in the workers being evacuated.
But, the Fire Incident Controller, Geoff Coles, says a weather change this afternoon has helped.
“The conditions have eased considerably,” he said.
“There’s quite a cool change, a little bit of drizzle, but not doing anything.”
Mr Coles says it’s still too dangerous to fight the fire today but is hoping backburning can start tomorrow.
Two other fires are burning out of control, one at Montumana, between Stanley and Wynyard and another in the Central Highlands near Dee Lagoon.
No buildings are threatened.
