Tasmanian Fires ALERT - 1 dead, buildings destroyed

[Guest The Pom Queen]

The fire, which began yesterday at Forcett, has trebled in size and is burning out of control. Uncontained fires are also raging at Bicheno and Lake Repulse.

The fires have been intensified by hot weather, with Hobart reaching its highest temperature in 120 years of record keeping.

Crews in several other southern states are also battling blazes amid scorching weather conditions.

Our live blog brings you updates from Tasmania as they happen. All times are in AEDT.

Keep up to date with the latest information from your state:

 

 

8:38pm:

Here is the latest map from the Tasmanian Fire Service showing the Forcett bushfire:

You can keep across maps of other bushfires burning across the state here.

PHOTO: Tasmanian Fire Service's latest map of the Forcett bushfire. (Tasmanian Rural Fire Service)

8.25pm:

An emergency bushfire hotline has been established in Tasmania. The number is 1800 567 567.

8.22pm:

This update from 936 ABC Hobart on Twitter:Dodges Ferry now hit by #Forecett #bushfire,@TasFireService says if you plan to leave, leave now if safe. bit.ly/VBYsZ0

8.16pm:

Police say the Lake Repulse fire may have been started by an abandoned campfire.

Police say there is no information to suggest any of the fires have been deliberately lit.

8.15pm:

Are you in a fire affected area?

Send us your photos here.

 

Bridgette Huddlestone from West Moonah sent us this one:

PHOTO: A photo of the fires in Bicheno taken from the Tasman Highway this afternoon (Audience submitted: Bridgette Huddlestone)

8:04pm:

Acting Tasmanian Police Commissioner Scott Tilyard says the report of a death came from a local fire crew at Dunalley.

The crew were involved in a "burnover", where the fire burnt across their vehicle. As this was happening the crew could see a man trying to defend his house but they were unable to get to him.

Commissioner Tilyard says a triage team has just flown to Dunalley.

"Their first priority is going around trying to confirm the report of the loss of life or otherwise. We can't at this early stage rule out that that there has been a loss of life," he said.

"We are very concerned to get in there, assess the situation and that information will be coming back to us as we speak."

 

Police have deployed some marine vessels to help people stranded on the beach at Boomer Bay. Police are also looking at whether they will need to use private vessels.

8.00pm:

Embers, smoke and ash will fall on Dunalley, Primrose Sands, Murdunna, Sommers Bay, Eaglehawk Neck, Taranna and Doo Town in coming hours.

7.55pm:

Tasmanian Fire Service's Mike Brown tells a media conference there has been no confirmation of a loss of life but police are investigating.

Meanwhile, the fires have turned the state's sky a stunning colour.

PHOTO: The deep red over Mt Wellington in Hobart this evening (Twitter: @SussanSays)

7:50pm:

WARNING UPDATE: There are currently emergency warnings for fires in the following parts of Tasmania:

Bicheno: areas in and around Butlers Point, Courland Bay, Friendly Beaches and Harvey's Farm Road at severe risk.

Forcett: communities from Dunalley, Murdunna, Sommers Bay, Eagle Hawk Neck, Doo Town and surrounds have been impacted.

The fire is now impacting the communities of Primrose Sands and Connellys Marsh and it is too late to leave. Carlton River Road is now impassable and not safe.

Lake Repulse: Ellendale, Gretna, Hamilton, Ouse and Meadowbank are at direct risk from the fire front. Residents are advised to leave only if the path is clear.

A new fire has started at Meadowbank Lake and has crossed the Ellendale Road and is moving rapidly in a south-easterly direction.

Houses are under threat in the Jones River Road area.

Residents from Hamilton, Ouse and Meadowbank are encouraged to travel north to the Community Fire Refuge at Ouse Community Hall on the Lyell Highway.

7:37pm:

Acting Tasmanian Police Commissioner Scott Tilyard says reports of deaths have not been confirmed.

"There has been an unconfirmed report that someone may have lost their life. At this stage we don't know whether that is correct or not. We have been unable to identify the source of that information," he said.

 

Commissioner Tilyard says the township of Dunalley, south-east of Hobart, has been the hardest hit.

"We believe that there is substantial property damage in that township and there are unconfirmed reports of up to 65 dwellings and other business premises been burnt by the fire and possibly up to a further 15 at Booma Bay. We have a report of 50 people on the waterfront at Booma Bay who are quite safe."

 

VIDEO: At least one person believed dead in Tasmanian bushfires (7.30)

7.10pm:

Fire authorities now say at least 65 buildings have been destroyed at Dunalley, including the RSL.

7.00pm:

There are unconfirmed reports of deaths from the Forcett bushfire. Police will give a media conference shortly.

Hundreds of residents have been evacuated, and thousands are stranded on the Tasman Peninsula, as large uncontained blazes rage at Forcett, Bicheno and Lake Repulse.

The Forcett fire has now jumped the Dunalley Canal and is threatening properties on the Forestier Peninsula to Eagle Hawk Neck.

But there is some good news.

The emergency warning for the bushfire at Epping Forest has been downgraded and the blaze is now under control.

6.33pm:

Authorities have set up a second fire refuge on the Tasman Peninsula at the Port Arthur Historic Site.

6.00pm:

South of Bicheno on the east coast, a fire is expected to threaten communities at Butlers Point, Courland Bay and Friendly Beaches.

Campers have been evacuated from beaches south of Bicheno as the fire approaches.

The Fire Service says the areas of Butlers Point, Friendly Beaches, and Harvey's Farm Road, as well as properties at Courland Bay will be threatened by the fire front.

The fire at Lake Repulse in the Central Highlands is also expected to threaten the areas of Ellendale and Meadowbank Lake in the next two hours.

5.59pm:

The fire has closed a number of major roads, isolating the popular tourist destination of Port Arthur and nearby towns.

A fleet of boats is heading for the Tasman peninsula in an attempt to rescue thousands of people stranded by the fire.

5.47pm:

Here's the latest from the state's police and fire officials, who recently gave a media conference.

VIDEO: Tasmania's police and fire services give update on the emergency situation (ABC News)

4.55pm:

Residents at Eaglehawk Neck have also been evacuated.

Gabby Hills left her home to go to the fire refuge at Nubeena, but says many people are unaware of the danger and are driving towards the fire.

"There's a degree of confusion amongst people because we encountered quite a few vehicles heading north and these are people that may not have heard the warnings that basically the Tasman Peninsula is closed," she said.

 

5.41pm:

The emergency warning for a bushfire at Epping Forest in the state's north has been downgraded and the blaze is now under control.

Crews will spend the next few days putting in containment lines.

4.54pm:

Fire crews have confirmed that homes and buildings, including a primary school and a petrol station, have been destroyed by the fire at Dunalley.

Chief fire officer Mike Brown says crews are stretched to the limit.

"No matter just how much equipment, how many crews, how many helicopters, we just can't contain the fires," he said.

 

PHOTO: Smoke from a bushfire rises over a Hobart neighbourhood (Twitter: Botonaine)

4.37pm:

The bushfire has blocked all roads between Hobart and the tourist destination of Port Arthur. People are being told to go to the fire refuge centre at Nubeena.

4.23pm:

Houses have reportedly been lost in Dunalley as a fire rips through the area.

Resident Peter Crocker says at least two homes have been destroyed.

"To my knowledge, I know of at least two houses between myself and Dunalley that have been lost and I know of a couple of houses at Copping that have been destroyed by fire," he said.

"We're going to try and go back into the area and see what's there and see if we can salvage anything out of it or put any fires out, if the house is not already gone."

 

PHOTO: A helicopter dumps water on a bushfire in Epping Forest (ABC News: Emily Bryan)

4.10pm:

The Forcett bushfire that has isolated Tasmania's Tasman Peninsula has reached the town of Dunalley, where homes are under direct threat.

Peter Crocker is a Dunalley resident who has had to flee his home.

"All I can see is a sky that is absolutely red and blue-black. It's like apocalypse, you can't do anything about it, you've just got to get out of the way of it," he said.

 

And the community of Ellendale is in the path of a bushfire burning out of control in the Upper Derwent Valley at Lake Repulse.

4.00pm:

Activist Miranda Gibson is closely monitoring the bushfires, which are close to the forest where she has been staging a tree-sit protest for more than a year.

She is living on a 60-metre platform in a tree in the Tyenna Valley, about 50 kilometres from a fire burning in the Lake Repulse area.

Ms Gibson says she is prepared to abandon the protest if the situation becomes dangerous.

"I'm lucky enough to have quite a good view of the surrounding area," she said.

"I'm up quite high, so just keeping an eye on if I can see any smoke or any fires in the distance as well."

 

Anyone seeking refuge from the fire is being urged to go to the Ouse Community Hall.

PHOTO: Smoke rises from a bushfire in the Forcett/Copping area outside Hobart (Rebecca White)

3.37pm:

A bushfire burning out of control in Tasmania's Upper Derwent Valley is moving towards the community of Ellendale.

Residents have been told to remain alert and evacuate if they are not prepared.

3.35pm:

News just in that Hobart has recorded its highest temperature in 120 years of record keeping.

The record maximum of 41.3 degrees Celsius was reached this afternoon and exceeds the pervious record of 40.8 which was set on January 4, 1976.

3.30pm:

The fire service now says homes will be burnt by the Forcett fire, which is raging out of control.

There have been emotional scenes at Forcett, where smoke and flames are charging towards homes

A Watch and Act has been upgraded to an emergency warning.

3.00pm:

There are emergency warnings for two big bushfires in Tasmania and affected residents are being urged to leave their homes if they are not prepared.

A large bushfire at Forcett, south-east of Hobart, is has burnt around 1,000 hectares and is spreading rapidly.

It has jumped the Arthur Highway, sparking spot fires nearby.

Police have closed the highway from Forcett to Copping and residents are leaving their homes.

A helicopter is water bombing in the area, and the Fire Service is bracing for hotter and windier conditions later today.

And a fire at Woorak Road near Epping Forest in the Northern Midlands is expected to threaten an area east of Conara Junction on the Esk Main road sometime this afternoon.

Motorists are being warned of possible ash and embers on the Midland Highway, and Glen Esk Road is closed.

An emergency warning has also been issued for a fire at Lake Repulse in the Upper Derwent Valley.

The fire is expected to threaten Ellendale in the next few hours.

A community refuge has been set up at Ouse.

[flag of convenience]

Tasmania has sure had some bad luck with fires over the years. This has resulted in numerous deaths. Hopefully not a repeat of previous disasters in that state.

[Irishgirl1]

I hope everyone stays safe and just gets out if they have to, good luck to the Fire Services and all Volunteers and R I P to the person who has lost there life.

Saying a pray for cooler weather and for the winds to calm down xxx