Aerial firebombing

April 2018

FUEL REDUCTION burn season is underway to protect the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, by reducing risks of bushfires and large-scale landscape fires.

Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) will undertake these large-scale burns within remote areas of the Southwest, Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers and Cradle Mountain- Lake St Clair national parks and the Southwest Conservation Area till the end of June.

They will be ignited at short notice via helicopter and by hand from road edges anytime as weather and fuel conditions permit.

Bushwalkers and campers should be vigilant but not alarmed by the generated smoke and flames.

“The safety of park users [remains] of paramount importance,” said Paul Black, PWS’s fire manager.

Remote walking tracks and campsites in the burns vicinity will be checked prior to the burns. Logbooks at track heads will be checked too, and walkers are advised to enter their walk details.

Aircraft overhead of remote tracks may be trying to ascertain walker’s positions in the park to determine if it is safe to proceed with a burn.

Walkers can assist by making themselves visible from the air by moving to clearer ground and by wearing or waving a highly visible clothing or object.

To allow burns to take place, public access on some roads and tracks may be restricted or closed at short notice. Visitors in these areas have to comply with directions from PWS staff or any signage on site.

It is advisable to check the PWS website for updates on any proposed or active burns.