Fire alerts and track closures

[Davo1]

Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service
22 mins · Hobart ·
Fire update 19 January 2016
WALLS OF JERUSALEM NATIONLA PARK AND THE CENTRAL PLATEAU CONSERVATION AREA
Due to a bushfire in the Mersey Forest Road area, the Walls of Jerusalem National Park and part of the Central Plateau Conservation Area (Lake McKenzie) have been closed. The following tracks are closed until further notice:
Devills Gullett Walking Track, South Mole Creek (Yeates track), Parsons Track, Higgs Track, Western Creek Track, Little Fisher Track, Walls of Jerusalem main track, Lake Myrtle track, Moses Creek Track, Lees Paddocks Track, Explorer Creek Route and Blue Peaks Route.
Fisherman are also advised to avoid using Pillans Lake Track to access Lake Field, Julians and Pillans Lake within the Central Plateau Conservation Area.
CRADLE MOUNTAIN
There is a bushfire of about 30 ha in size within the Dove River Conservation Area.
Cradle Mountain is open but with some restrictions: the Dove Canyon track and Cradle Valley Boardwalk are closed. It is recommended that visitors avoid walks to the east of Dove Lake and undertake walks of less than two hours.
OVERLAND TRACK
The Overland Track is open but walkers are asked to observe some simple protocols due to bushfires. Walkers are asked to restrict walking to the Overland Track and well used side tracks and camp overnight at or close to the hut nodes.
Further updates on the fire situation can be obtained from track rangers. If a fire does threaten the Overland Track, please observe the direction of track rangers.
ARTHUR-PIEMAN CONSERVATION AREA
4WD tracks to Sandy Cape south of Temma have been closed until further notice due to the fire danger.
SOUTHWEST NATIONAL PARK
Due to a bushfire of about 230 ha in the Mt Cullen area north of the Gordon River Road, please note the following closures. The Wedge River campground is closed and the Mt Wedge and Sentinel Range walking tracks are closed.
For up to date bushfire information listen to ABC Local Radio or look at the TFS website at http://www.fire.tas.gov.au.

[Davo1]

UPDATE at 3.44pm:

A BUSHFIRE near Mole Creek has been declared an emergency.

Dozens of firefighters are currently trying to get the blaze under control near Mersey Forest homes.

The Tasmania Fire Service says Mersey Forest Road, Meander, Mole Creek and Chudleigh are at high risk ''now''.

``Burning embers, falling on Mersey Forest Road, Meander, Mole Creek, Chudleigh will threaten your home before the main fire,'' the service said.

``Smoke and ash will make it difficult to see and breathe.

``This fire will be difficult to control.''

A Watch and Act alert has also been issued for Jackeys Marsh, Liffey and Bracknell, with the TFS saying: ''there may be embers, smoke and ash falling on Jackeys Marsh, Liffey and Bracknell and threaten your home earlier than the main fire.''

[walkabout]

I live near the Mersey Forest Rd. I have been watching the fires closely since this morning. As well as the fire on the plateau there seems to be another near the Borradaile/February plains. All these areas have become a favourite haunt of mine and I had plans to do so much more exploring there this summer. Now I could cry when I think of all that beautiful country being destroyed.

[Davo1]

Yes walkabout I also spend a lot of time in this area and have dreaded this ever happening.
Not looking forward to seeing the results of this I can assure you.
I sincerely hope the damage is not as bad as it seems at this stage....take care.

[Son of a Beach]

My daughter is quite upset that our Lees Paddocks walk this weekend is cancelled. (So am I!)

It's difficult to come up with alternatives that are as family friendly, easily accessible from L'ton, not off a fire-closed road, and not likely to be overcrowded at this time of year.

[Davo1]

My daughter is quite upset that our Lees Paddocks walk this weekend is cancelled. (So am I!)

It's difficult to come up with alternatives that are as family friendly, easily accessible from L'ton, not off a fire-closed road, and not likely to be overcrowded at this time of year.

After having a look up that way today it may be some time before you get back in there. Borradaile is really bad today and it looks as though a fire from the Forth Valley may get across into the Arm River area, so it's not a pretty sight.

[Davo1]

These are of the Forth Valley today looking towards Pelion etc.
The last one is of Borradaile Plains

[CasualNerd]

Does anyone know the smoke situation at Mt Field ?

The webcam http://ski.com.au/snowcams/australia/tas/mawson1.html looks bright and clear today, I was under the impression that more of the state was suffering. I'm hoping to head down friday !

[Davo1]

Sorry I don't know, wrong end of the state for me
Put it out a general enquiry on it's own post, you might get better response that way...good luck

[Azza]

Does anyone know the smoke situation at Mt Field ?

The webcam http://ski.com.au/snowcams/australia/tas/mawson1.html looks bright and clear today, I was under the impression that more of the state was suffering. I'm hoping to head down friday !

Tas fire web site first port of call.

http://www.fire.tas.gov.au/Show?pageId=colGMapBushfires

The south is fairly okay as far as fires are concerned.
Nothing in the Mt Field area.

[Nuts]

IMG_1065.JPG (118.33 KiB) Viewed 22219 times

Rolling up out of Forth and Mersey valleys, lightning? really?

[tastrax]

http://firewatch.landgate.wa.gov.au/lan ... public.asp

Try checking this site for lightning strikes in the last week - very interesting. You can select individual days or weeks etc. Its what PWS and others use post storms etc to get an idea of what strikes have occurred. They then use it for determining flight paths for spotter flights.

Of course they have a higher resolution model to access.

[tastrax]

Actually - just get the strikes for the 13th January - that's when things really started

[tastrax]

A sample for you

[north-north-west]

That's impressive stuff, Tastrax. Didn't realise they kept track of such things.

[Nuts]

Thanks Phil. Hadn't seen any update since before we departed, reported one from PF Moor. Scary stuff! Restless night at Kia Ora..
Ants crawling up out of platforms but no rain. So dry, record snowfalls, early spring growth, now creeks drying already iv'e not seen before. One Dangerous summer!

[tastrax]

That's impressive stuff, Tastrax. Didn't realise they kept track of such things.

Great use of technology. You can also add it on LIST map layers. I think it's under emergency services

[Nuts]

4 Day Total Fire Ban, starts midnight. So many are still going: http://www.fire.tas.gov.au/Show?pageId= ... tBushfires eye stinging smoke haze along the coast. Best luck and safety to those from the various local and interstate services involved, doing as best they can.

[CasualNerd]

They've closed the road at Maydeena with a big fire warning sign. Not literally closed, but a "do not go on" flashing sign is up. Might make a difference for anyone heading to the SW.

[Lophophaps]

Not looking good for the WHA and National Parks
http://www.theguardian.com/australia-ne ... ge-forests

[tastrax]

There are still a lot of fires burning in Tassie. The link below will show you the current boundaries (as a live feed from Tas Fire Service). As you zoom in you can also see what species may be at risk. The layers can be adjusted on the right hand side of the screen.

http://maps.thelist.tas.gov.au/listmap/ ... kId=111348

Please remember though, that the folks out there fighting them need time, resources and favourable weather conditions to get these fires under control. We all need to be realistic about the likely outcomes. It wont be quick and some areas will be devastated as there are simply not the resources to extinguish all these fires rapidly (unless we all contribute way more in taxes for firefighters and equipment). Interstate remote area crews are arriving so hopefully we will have some wins in the coming days.

[oldpiscator]

Thanks for posting
http://maps.thelist.tas.gov.au/listmap/ ... kId=111348

That is a fantastic resource which I wasn't aware of. Details for flora and fauna are terrific.

[tastrax]

Unfortunately there is a glitch in the fire boundaries at the moment - maybe they are being updated?

[north-north-west]

That's a worry. The Cullen fire has crossed the road, gone up the side of the Sentinels and is now threatening the Coronets and Wedge.

[tastrax]

I bet they were originally hoping to keep it north of the road. Lets just hope for some calm weather and maybe some rain but what is forecast is minuscule.

[Gimped]

We were halfway through our 8 day trek, Lake Ada to Lake silver, onto Lake Ball, Lake Meston and back to Lake Ball, then onto lake Fanny and out via Ada.
Chopper landed on us at the end of Lake Ball, asked us to get out. We explained car was at Lake Ada, said we would take 2 days to get out via Fanny. He was happy with that.
After 14km to Fanny, another chopper land on us and a very cranky man said we needed to be out by 11am in the morning!!

Oh well, spent the 2 days at Great Lake pub, which has advantages!!!

[Hermione]

Almost can't bear to look at this, seems like the whole of Tasmania is on fire. We were in the Walks over Christmas and it was certainly very dry.
There doesn't seem to be all that much in the news about it at least that I've seen. I'm sure those involved are working very hard I just hope they have some success sooner rather than later.

[Davo1]

Late yesterday on the front of Western Bluff, you can just see a helicopter in the bottom left.
The roads into the Mersey Valley are closed at the intersection of Olivers Road and the road into Lemonthyme power Station/ Lorinna are also closed at the Olivers Road intersection.
I dare say it will be some time before we have access again.


It was hard to see but the fire on the eastern end of Mt Roland appears to be quite low down and not affecting the mountain slopes.

[South_Aussie_Hiker]

I flew into Tas yesterday. There is smoke well north right out over Bass Strait for a good 40 miles, and unburmt areas look the driest I've seen in years.

Good chance of rain over the north west over the next few days, but nothing too significant - and showers rather than widespread rain. Let's hope it is enough to assist getting on top of the current fires.

[icefest]

At least the scrub going up the sentinels will be clear - but the erosion will be a bummer for the next few years.