Deliberate fire risks catastrophe

A torched stolen vehicle sparked a wildfire that could have created havoc just east of Launceston last week.

Forestry Tasmania fire crews spent most of the day extinguishing and blacking out the blaze off Excalibur Road near Hollybank Forest Reserve at Underwood.

The incident controller, Peter Johnstone, said but for calm conditions at the time and a quick response by a volunteer fire service brigade the result could have been much worse than the one hectare the fire was contained to.

Just across the road and closer to the city is a mature pine plantation and to the west is State and private forest to the outskirts of Lilydale.

Police had confirmed the small tipper truck had been stolen and Mr Johnstone presumes the occupants were probably in the area to illegally cut firewood when the vehicle’s tray seemed to have got stuck on a stump.

Mr Johnstone said cutting firewood without appropriate permits was one thing, but to risk property and lives in a wildfire was another level of irresponsibility.

With the prospect of a lengthy period of dry weather residents particularly in rural or bush areas should be extra vigilant for suspicious or unusual behaviour and be prepared to report it to authorities.