Molesworth residents keep watch

The fire scene at 9pm on the ridge above Collins Cap Rd

MANY Molesworth residents are tonight keeping watch as a bushfire burns in two locations - off Glen Dhu Rd and Collins Cap Rd. The vegetation fire was first reported at 1.19pm and has since burned an area of more than 300 hectares.

By mid-afternoon Tasmania Police were assisting Glen Dhu Rd residents to relocate to safer places including the Molesworth Community Hall. As the afternoon wore on, the fire crossed the ridge line and some Collins Cap Rd residents opted to evacuate.

Extensive resources of the Tasmania Fire Service were brought to bear, including dozens of firefighters, about 30 vehicles and six water-bombing helicopters. The helicopters conducted countless missions, flying low across the district and re-filling their buckets from farm dams in the area.

The fire remains uncontrolled and cars and outbuildings are believed to have been lost. Tomorrow, Thursday, February 7, has been declared a day of total fire ban in the south and north of the state. No fires may be lit or be allowed to remain alight in the open air until 11.59pm Thursday.

A New Norfolk NEWS photo gallery will be published in the morning.

ABC News report here.