Media release – DPFEM, 18 February 2025
Cross agency effort crucial to bushfire response
With weather conditions easing over the past four days, agencies have been using the favourable conditions to get more crews on the fireground and assess key areas of the west coast bushfire complex.
The fires have burnt a combined area of more than 94,000 hectares. With the main fires of concern being Yellowband Plains, Pieman River, Mt Donaldson and Canning Peak fires.
Tasmania Fire Service (TFS), Tasmania Parks and Wildlife (PWS) and Sustainable Timber Tasmania (STT) along with interstate and international remote area teams and personnel are all working together bringing a range of assets to help battle the fire.
Low cloud cover is hindering the use of aircrafts on the fireground and reducing the amount of aerial assessment able to be conducted.
PWS Liaison Officer in the State Operations Centre Brendon Clark said a current key priority is to perform the aerial assessments.
“Conducting the aerial assessments is critical to for us to have a thorough understanding of the impact of the fire on our reserve area and areas of high natural and cultural values. Conducting these assessments heavily depends on having both unrestricted access to the fireground and weather conditions allowing for aerial observations,” he said.
“Planning is underway to permit recovery and rehabilitation operations to commence as soon as conditions allow. We will be looking at remedial works including potential revegetation methods in identified effected areas.”
Work is currently underway to restore power and open roads.
TFS State Fire Commander Matt Lowe said that while the weather is currently favourable now is not the time to become complacent.
“It is important to continue to monitor conditions, and always be aware of current messaging. The fires are difficult to control and can change quickly,” he said.
“Contingency planning is occurring across all fire grounds in anticipation of weather spike from Friday, into Saturday preceding the front.”
STT’s Fire Management Manager Dean Sheehan said the response is a long event and that there are fatigue management plans in place.
“We are aware that managing fatigued is a priority that helps people in the response stay safe. Providing shift breaks, rotating staff and spreading the workload all help increase the opportunity to provide a safe response,” he said.
“We also use opportunities like these to mentor people to further develop and consolidate their skillsets. This helps us build a broader capability across agencies.”
For further information and updates, visit the following websites:
https://bushfire.tas.gov.au/
http://www.bom.gov.au/tas/
https://www.tasalert.com for current warnings and advice
https://www.police.tas.gov.au/
https://parks.tas.gov.au/
Featured image above, courtesy TFS: the Deal Island fire on Friday 14 February 2025.
