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Forestry Tasmania has dealt with two small fires overnight and this morning,which appear to have been deliberately lit.
The first near the Arm River camp in the north west burnt between five and seven hectares before being extinguished by fire crews around 8pm last night.
The second involved a bark heap near the Oldina Forest Reserve near Wynyard. Crews have this morning established a clear zone around the heap and a heavy tanker has been deployed to extinguish the fire.
With summer fast approaching the risks of bushfire were increasing and it was timely to remind the community to be vigilant.
Forestry Tasmania is using the mild spring weather to undertake fuel reduction burns to protect forests and the community for the coming summer.
Forestry Tasmania is planning to undertake two fuel reduction burns today.
A 50 hectare burn west of Lake King William and south of the Lyell Highway will be conducted to protect State forest assets in the area.
On the east coast, it's planned to burn about 1100 hectares as part of a series of burns to protect St Helens and other townships.
It is endorsed by the Break O’ Day Fire Management Area Committee, which is made up of the Council, Parks and Wildlife Service, Forestry Tasmania, Tasmania Fire Service and private forest companies.
Fuel reduction burns are conducted at a lower intensity than regeneration fires and can cause smoke closer to ground level affecting local residents.
Calm and cooler conditions at night might also cause some low lying smoke to drain down the Scamander River valley towards the coast and be apparent for a time on Thursday morning.
However, the decision to conduct fuel reduction burns is taken after considering the risks of a wildfire in areas where fuels have not been reduced.
ENDS
5 October 2011
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