A Total Fire Ban has been declared for the South and parts of the North of Tasmania for tomorrow.
Tasmania Fire Service acting deputy chief officer Jeremy Smith said current weather predictions provided by the Bureau of Meteorology indicated Very High fire danger ratings in parts of the state for Thursday, January 18.
The Total Fire Ban will be in place from midnight tonight until midnight on Thursday, with the possibility of it being extended through until midnight Friday. The conditions are forecast to be dry and windy with temperatures in the high 20s to low 30s.
The declaration of a Total Fire Ban means that no fires can be lit in the open air.
Operators of machinery are to comply with the TFS Machinery Operations Guidelines in relation to operating under Total Fire Ban declarations which can be found on the TFS website.
There is also an embargo on all fire permits from now until further notice.
"Grass and forest fuels are extremely dry and in abundance at the moment. Fires that occur in these conditions will be difficult to control and we urge the public to report any fires to TFS immediately by calling triple zero to give us the best chance of containing the fire quickly," Mr Smith said.
"People are reminded to check all fires they may have had on their property, including any campfires to ensure they are fully extinguished and check their Bushfire Survival Plan.
"Tasmania Fire Service, along with Parks and Wildlife Service and Sustainable Timber Tasmania are at a heightened state of readiness, with strategically placed strike teams and aircraft, incident management teams and extra firefighting resources on standby in order to attack fires quickly," Mr Smith said.
The Derwent Valley and the Central Highlands are among the municipalities covered by the Total Fire Ban tomorrow.
When instances of high fire danger occur, it is important that people know exactly what to do if a fire threatens their home or property. To assist with this planning, residents are encouraged to visit the TFS website to view the Community Bushfire Protection Plan that may cover their area. These are developed to provide assistance in the event of an emergency that will inform residents of Nearby Safer Places, evacuation routes and how to receive emergency information. Information is also included that will assist in preparing individual Bushfire Survival Plans prior to a fire occurring.
For more information about Total Fire Bans visit www.fire.tas.gov.au and listen to ABC Local Radio in the event of an emergency.
No comments:
Post a Comment