2016 Tasmanian bushfires

Bushfires in Tasmania, Australia February 2016 November 2020 2016 Tasmanian Bushfires File:Cushion plant and pencil pine, Lake Mackenzie fire IMG 6834.jpg Cushion plant and pencil pine, Lake Mackenzie fire, Tasmania Central Highlands as well multiple locations in Western, North-Western, South Western and Southern Tasmania January 2016-autumn 2016 Lightning, arson World Heritage reserves, 100000 ha acre on + 1 firefighter The 2016 Tasmanian Bushfires were a large series of bushfires in Tasmania which started in January 2016 throughout the state, and continued into February 2016, with considerable damage to fire sensitive areas in the Central Highlands, West Coast and South West regions. By autumn 2016, no bushfires were reported within the state.Tasmanian Fire Service 25 October 2016 http://www.fire.tas.gov.au/Show?pageId=colCurrentBushfires Number of fires thumb|200px|Burnt thousand year old pencil pine, Mackenzie fire, Tasmania. thumb|Burnt alpine vegetation, Lake Mackenzie fire, Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Over the first 20 days of the fires, the actual number reported was larger in number, however at least 70 separate fires had been listed in the North West, West, South West and Central Highland areas of the island.Brushfires ravage Australian forests that pre-dated dinosaurs on Earth These fires are different from the 2013 Tasmanian bushfires due to their spread, and to the large number being started by lightning strikes, and from the 1967 Tasmanian bushfires with no loss of human life. Central Highlands thumb|Cushion plant and pencil pine, Mackenzie fire, Tasmania. Although not significant in terms of property loss, the impact on the Central Highlands and the World Heritage Area lands has been claimed to be catastrophic.‘Like losing the thylacine’: Fire burns Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage AreaTasmania fires: First images of World Heritage Area devastation emerge, show signs of 'system collapse' – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) the destruction of the heritage areas achieved international attention.Australia bushfires raze ancient World Heritage-listed forests | Bangkok Post: newsTasmanian bush fires raze ancient World Heritage forests | The Japan TimesTasmanian bushfires destroying 'living fossils', Australia/NZ News & Top Stories – The Straits Times The Overland Track was evacuated due to the fires.http://www.bigrigs.com.au/news/Tasmania-struck-by-fires-and-floods/2915340/ Tasmania struck by fires and floods Big Rigs 1 February 2016 2 February 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160202105801/http://www.bigrigs.com.au/news/Tasmania-struck-by-fires-and-floods/2915340/ dead The north west fires were well documented in the local newspaper the Advocate in the fires of 21 January.http://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/3678357/breaking-north-west-fires-live-updates/ BREAKING: North-West fires 21 January 2016 The Advocate 21 December 2018 Rainfall Due to the remoteness and inaccessibility of a large number of fires, rainfall after the fires started was not enough to extinguish themTasmanian bushfires: 'Downpour' need to extinguish remote blazes, Tasmania Fire Service says – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) and was also hindering firefighters.Heavy rain in Tasmania helps and hinders crews battling bushfires – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)Tasmanian fires: Lightning strikes spark more blazes after rain fails to douse flames – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) The fires continued on into February 2016, with containment of only a limited number of fires.Map: Tasmania fire incidents and warnings – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) Heritage area burn size thumb|Burnt cushion plants and alpine vegetation, Lake Mackenzie fire, Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. The Tasmania Fire Service chief officer Gavin Freeman claimed little harm was done to the heritage areas‘Little harm’ to heritage area | The Examiner stating that 18,000 hectares of heritage area as being the area affected. The Tasmanian Tourism Industry Council chief executive officer Luke Martin subsequently made a claim that 11,000ha of the world heritage area was affected.Most of Tasmanias wilderness unaffected by fires | The MercuryFire reports a tourism concern |The Examiner The total burnt area in all areas has been stated to be above 95,000 hectares (234,750 acres).Australia bushfires raze ancient World Heritage-listed forests | World | Malay Mail Online The modelling, supplied by University of Tasmania environment postdoctoral fellow Dr Grant Williamson, reveals more than 14 per cent of the 97,000ha burnt by the recent fires were in World Heritage Areas – an area that latest TFS figures suggest has increased – and another 25 per cent in conservation or national park areas.Call to put politics aside |The Mercury The effect of the fire on some ecological areas is considered to have been irreversible by some experts, and simulate the effect of climate change on the affected areas.A first look at Tasmania's pristine wilderness after recent bushfires – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) Jamie Kirkpatrick, a University of Tasmania academic, reflected upon the lack of inherent dispersal techniques on some of the flora species for regeneration as being a major problem.Jamie Kirkpatrick opinion piece in the Mercury | The Mercury First month thumb|Burnt alpine vegetation including pencil pines, Lake Mackenzie region, Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. thumb|Burnt alpine vegetation including pencil pines, Lake Mackenzie region, Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Authorities expressed concern about accessing fire affected areas, with prospects for further flare ups in the event of high temperatures and conditions for fires increasing again.Authorities expressed concern over reports of people entering bush fire ravaged areas | The MercuryWest Coast blaze still a challenge |The Mercury By the beginning of February 2016, the number of the fires was claimed to be down to 50, and various factors were seen in favour of further reduction of fires.Tasmanian firefighters optimistic of gaining upper hand | ABC state newsFirefighters take advantage of better conditions across Tasmania | ABC state news Continued operations on remote world heritage areas appeared on the public record, and images of Remote Area Firefighters (RATS)were publishedFirefighters work on world heritage listed areas of Tasmania |ABC as well as further photos of damaged areas.Tasmanian bushfires leave world heritage area devastated | The Guardian As at the weekend of 6 and 7 February 2016, there were allegedly 20 fires still going.Why is Tasmanias world heritage area burning? | Examiner Selection of vegetation fires active in February 2016 Selected list fires known in February, with the date and time of reporting update from the Fire Service.This not a comprehensive fires at any one day or area, but a sample of the locations as reported at the Tasmanian Fire Service website in the second week of February. Some of the fires listed have been going for more than three weeks, and the date and time does not represent the length of time they have been burning. Gordon river road Mount Cullen, south west 08-Feb 19:10 Freeman place, Arthur river 07-Feb 23:13 Elliot range, southwest 07-Feb 19:35 Gordon plains, florentine 07-Feb 17:36 Horton river, west coast 07-Feb 14:25 Schofield creek, southwest 08-Feb 15:39 Dohertys range (south), southwest 08-Feb 15:45 Bull bottom, Mathinna 07-Feb 16:41 Lindsay river, west coast 08-Feb 15:40 Tully river, west coast 08-Feb 15:40 Companion road, Hampshire 07-Feb 16:46 Basils road, Hampshire 08-Feb 15:46 Mxwell river, southwest 08-Feb 19:25 Lyons river, west coast 07-Feb 16:59 East of Pipeline road, Savage river 07-Feb 16:53 Savage river north, Savage river 07-Feb 16:44 Savage river south, Savage river 07-Feb 16:44 Montagu swamp, Togari 07-Feb 16:43 Salmon river road, togari 07-Feb 16:42 Browns creek road, bakers beach 07-Feb 16:41 Trail creek track, zeehan 07-Feb 16:41 Neck island, strahan 08-Feb 15:47 Cape sorell, macquarie heads 07-Feb 16:39 Murchison highway, tullah 07-Feb 16:38 Mount Bertha, southwest 07-Feb 16:38 Little Donaldson river, west coast 08-Feb 15:43 Norway range, southwest 08-Feb 19:22 Wuthering heights road, temma 07-Feb 16:34 Julius river, west coast 08-Feb 15:35 Tyndall reserve, west coast 07-Feb 16:32 Coldstream river 2nd fire, Waratah 07-Feb 16:28 Stephens rivulet, west coast 08-Feb 15:42 Misery flat, west coast 07-Feb 16:23 Pipeline road, Savage river 07-Feb 16:22 Sticht range, west coast 07-Feb 16:21 Maxwell river (south), southwest 08-Feb 19:18 Princess range, southwest 08-Feb 19:12 Sumac road, west coast 07-Feb 16:16 Pieman road, Tullah 07-Feb 16:15 Huskissons drive, tullah 08-Feb 15:32 Ocean beach, Strahan 07-Feb 16:13 Blackwater road, Temma 07-Feb 16:11 Dove river conservation, Cradle Mountain 07-Feb 16:10 Scorpion creek, southwest 08-Feb 18:45 Goulds sugarloaf, southwest 07-Feb 16:06 Loddon range, southwest 08-Feb 18:40 Gould point, southwest 07-Feb 16:05 Griffiths creek, southwest 08-Feb 18:39 Dohertys range, southwest 08-Feb 16:01 Quinton creek, Waratah 07-Feb 16:01 Heazlewood, Waratah 07-Feb 15:57 Hangmans creek, Corinna 07-Feb 15:57 Little henty river, west coast 07-Feb 15:50 Pipeline road, west coast 08-Feb 15:30 Donaldson river 2nd fire, west coast 07-Feb 15:49 Donaldson river 1st fire, west coast 07-Feb 15:48 Coast line between Temma to Sandy cape including Kenneth bay Waratah road, Waratah 07-Feb 15:40 Lyell highway, southwest 08-Feb 15:26 Anthony road, west coast 08-Feb 15:26 Watsons creek, Zeehan 08-Feb 15:29 Heemskirk road, Zeehan 08-Feb 15:22 Zeehan highway, Zeehan 08-Feb 15:18 Damage assessment thumb|Burnt highland rainforest and pencil pines, Devils Gullet, Lake Mackenzie region, Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. thumb|Burnt pencil pine and alpine flora, Mackenzie fire, Tasmania. Investigations by specialist crews of the extent of damage fires have wrought commenced in February with the first focus on fire grounds near Cradle Mountain and Lake Mackenzie in the Central Plateau. In those regions fire has scorched unique alpine flora such as Cushion plant and Pencil Pine that do not readily regenerate.Tasmanian bushfire damage to wilderness world heritage area | ABC state news Political agendas are clearly indicated in the usage of photography by the Tasmanian government and environmentalists in the choice of location and style of photography, and for outsiders with little access to independent and overall views, the lack of higher level inquiry into the impact of the fires will probably maintain potential confusion.PR war over fires takes to the air | SMH External help Over 200 remote area firefighters from interstate and New Zealand have been used in fighting the fires.Local Crews sent to Tassie | Hawkesbury Gazette In February, the Australian Senate Estimates Committee was told that Tasmanian fire authorities turned down an Emergency Management Australia offer to send in defence assistance.Tasmanian fire authorities rejected offer | ABC This claim was rejected by the Tasmanian fire service.[TFS reject of offer rejected |ABC Second month The number of reported fires in early February was at 73 with 26 out of control, and expected time to control to be another month of fires.Four more weeks |ABC The impact on the east coast and Hobart was mainly in smoke being blown in from the south west fires.Smoke from southwest | The Mercury similarly Launceston experienced smoke from north-west fires.Fire danger for Tasmania | Examiner The time taken to have the number of fires to come under control has been stated in terms of patience.Patience urged on fires | Examiner Water bombing A series of water bombing flights by aeroplanes from interestate occurred on 12 February on a north-west fire - it included a DC10-bomber, C130-bomber and an Avro RJ85 from Avalon Airport in Melbourne.Bombers tackle fires | The Advocate Bomber planes bomb nw fires | The Mercury Changing weather conditions In over 30 days of fires, changes in weather conditions were challengingGale force winds | ABC and interstate assistance was re-utilised more than once.More interstate crews to arrive |ABC By mid February, weather had changed again with snow reported in the highlands.Snow surprise | ABC Controversy over damage to the environment and world heritage areas Fire ecologists have stated that some of the dead trees killed by the bushfires were more than 1000 years old and part of a confined, Gondwana-era ecosystem unique to Tasmania that in some cases has never burned before. Pictures of burnt areas and vegetation taken by conservationists have prompted warnings that the alpine ecosystem could be completely lost within decades unless more was done to protect it, given the increased risk of fire due to climate change. Tasmanian Premier Will Hodgman stated that the fires have had a "devastating impact", but the extent of the damage has been distorted. He said the fire has burned about 1.2 per cent of the world heritage zone and was "not insignificant, but it could have been much worse" and "It's damn ordinary that you've got environmental activists almost gleefully capitalising on images, naturally caused, which could inflict significant damage on our brand, our reputation".PR war over fires in Tasmania's world heritage area takes to the air, The Age, 13 February 2016 February 2016 and onwards In late February at least 20 fires were still burning.http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-27/tasmanian-fire-service-urges-vigilance-as-alerts-downgraded/7205072 Tasmania Fire Service urges vigilance as alerts downgraded ABC News 27 February 2016 The fires ended by autumn, and as of October 2016, none were burning in the state. Senate inquiry In March 2016 a Senate inquiry was announced.http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-17/senate-to-hold-inquiry-into-tasmanias-world-heritage-fires/7255128 Senate to hold inquiry into Tasmania's World Heritage Area fires ABC News 17 March 2016 Post-fire ecosystem recovery The Tasmanian Government and University of Tasmania are undertaking research and environmental monitoring programs in burnt alpine and subalpine ecosystems near Lake Mackenzie to investigate long-term ecological impacts and recovery.TWWHA Bushfire Research Group Lake Mackenzie Alpine Fire Impacts WorkshopAssessment of the ecological impacts of the 2016 Mersey Forest Fire Complex Severely burnt pencil pine and Sphagnum vegetation showed very little recovery one year after the fires, however regrowth was evident in alpine heath, cushion plants and sedgeland.One year after Tasmania’s alpine wildfire | Far South Ecology See also Australia Weather 1967 Tasmanian bushfires 2013 Tasmanian bushfires Notes References External links Tasmania Fire Service current bushfire list Tasmania Fire Service current fire map Tasmanian bushfires 2016 Tasmanian Category:Central Highlands (Tasmania) Category:2016 in Tasmania