Suddenly, the bushfire risk is brought into focus

IF ever there was a timely warning on the dangers of our increasingly unpredictable climate, a sudden bushfire on Tasmania’s West Coast on Tuesday provided a reminder how quickly the situation can change in a matter of hours.

The fire at the mining town of Rosebery destroyed a lodge and threatened homes and the hospital as temperatures soared into the 30s and a hot northerly wind gusted to 48km/ h. Scotts Peak, in the state’s South West, is normally associated with high rainfall but yesterday hit a high of 37.4C.

Such has been the topsy-turvy nature of the weather patterns in 2022, that the state’s West has been abnormally dry while the East has experienced above-average rainfall.

Across the nation some parts of South Australia and the Northern Territory have been inundated by floodwaters while parts of Western Australia’s south west have been battling fires for weeks.

The rain has brought a lot of growth during spring and the first part of summer and while vegetation appears green right now, a run of fine days and hot winds will dry things out and add to the fire risk.

It is worth remembering that the 1967 bushfire season was preceded by an abnormally wet spring.

The Tasmania Fire Service recently launched its bushfire awareness campaign and urged residents to prepare for the summer season.

That means formulating a bushfire safety plan which includes preparing protective clothing and an emergency kit, cleaning up any fire hazards around the home, including gutters clogged with leaf litter, and having a clear strategy in place when an emergency situation arises.

It doesn’t take long to formulate a plan and is much better to make decisions in a calm and considered manner rather than in the middle of a bushfire crisis.

For more information visit www.tfseducation.com.au.

It’s easy to become complacent but as Tuesday’s events show, it doesn’t take much for a situation to quickly turn nasty.