Fireys ban threatens remote areas: union

FIREFIGHTERS are concerned the community has been left exposed to increased bushfire danger following the suspension of remote area operations.

The United Firefighters Union has warned action is required to ensure the state has the capacity to deal with bushfires.

“It’s a disastrous situation that requires immediate action,” the union’s acting secretary Leigh Hills said.

“The Tasmanian community has been left exposed coming into the fire season ahead.”

Tasmania Fire Service’s remote firefighting operations have been fully suspended while reports of safety breaches are investigated.

The directive from the State Fire Commission means Tasmania is without its core bushfire fighting capability, only eight weeks before the start of the bushfire season. The safety breaches occurred during last summer’s bushfires.

Mr Hills said the concerns were around basic safeguards for the firefighters charged with tackling outbreaks in difficult terrain, particularly around evacuation procedures.

“They [firefighters] were certainly in danger last summer,” he said.

Mr Hills said the season ahead was forecast to be as severe as last summer.

“We are expecting a fire season similar to last season at this stage, with potential for more dry lightning strikes.”

The commission has received reports of breaches of the Work Health and Safety Act and a lack of safeguards for the Tasmania Fire Service Remote Area Team.

Mr Hills said some of the breaches related to retrieving firefighters once they were sent into difficult to access bushland.

The State Government confirmed the Tasmania Fire Service would not be deploying staff for remote activity, but said the state could draw on interstate firefighters and Parks and Wildlife remote firefighters.

“The safety of our emergency services personnel is paramount, and agencies are working together to ensure they are again fully prepared for summer,” a government spokesman said.

But Mr Hills said the PWS crews could not adequately protect the state during large bushfires, and relied on the resources of the TFS.