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your home, and if you choosenot to stay it will help firefight-ers protect your home, or mayeven protect your home if fire-fighters cannot reach it.”

Mr Arnol said that as well aspreparing your property, it wasessential for people living in ornear bushland to have a Bush-fire Survival Plan, which de-tailed exactly how to prepareand what action to take ifthreatened by bushfire.

“Writing and practising abushfire survival plan will help

consideration the ages andphysical capabilities of every-one in your household, includ-ing children and the elderly.

“People should decide wellin advance of a bushfirewhether they will leave or staywith their homes to defendthem.”

For more information and to download your Bushfire Survival Plan Booklet visit www.fire.tas.gov.au or free call 1800 000 699.

FIRE AWARENESSA N A D V E R T I S I N G F E A T U R E

THIS year, Tasmania hascopped the full wrath of Moth-er Nature’s fury.

However, the TasmaniaFire Service is warning resi-dents that the worst could beyet to come because summer isthe riskiest time of year forAustralia’s deadliest naturaldisasters — bushfires.

To ensure Tasmanians areas prepared as possible forthese tragic events, the TFShas launched its 2016-17 Bush-fire Safety Campaign.

TFS chief officer ChrisArnol said the campaign wasextremely important as unfor-tunately bushfires were andwould continue to be part ofthe Tasmanian landscape.

“The TFS continues to en-courage residents in bushfire-prone areas to prepare theirproperties for the summer, asintense bushfires can strikewith little warning,” he said.

“It is very important thatresidents are not complacent.

“If you live in or near bush-land, you, your family and yourhome are at risk.”

Mr Arnol said a home orproperty was more likely tosurvive a bushfire if it was pre-pared properly.

“The most important job isto create a defendable space,this means having an areaaround your home where youhave modified the vegetationand removed the most flam-mable material to reduce thefire’s radiant heat intensity,”he said.

“If you do this, flames andradiant heat from an ap-proaching bushfire will be re-duced, so sparks and emberswill have less fuel to ignitewhen they land, and any spotfires will be easier to put out.

“A well-prepared spacemakes it much easier to defend

Plan aims to stoke community action

TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT: The Tasmania Fire Service warns that bushfires can be upon you before you know it and thebest way to prepare is to have a plan.

you think through the actionslogically, give you somethingto refer to, and can help con-

trol fear and anxiety if a bush-fire breaks out nearby,” he said.

“The plan must take into

A well-prepared space makes it much easier to defend your home, and if you choose not to stay it will help firefighters protect your home, or may even protect your home if firefighters cannot reach it.

Do’s and don’ts on the daysof total fire ban MONITOR total fire ban warnings through daily newspapers, television, radio and the TFS website (www.fire.tas.gov.au).

BE aware that a total fire ban usually lasts for 24 hours.

DON’T use tools and equipment in the open air that generate sparks, such as for grinding, welding and cutting metal, or that use a naked flame.

DON’T operate barbecues that use wood, charcoal or other solid fuel(these are all banned during total fire bans).

ONLY use gas and electric barbecues and follow the strict conditions set out on the TFS website.

MINIMISE non-essential water use, including garden-watering or lawnsprinklers. This will help ensure that firefighters and residents who maybe facing a bushfire have water for fighting the fire.

If bushwalking or camping: ONLY use gas-fuelled cooking appliances, providing they are clear of any flammable material for at least one metre.

With bushfi re season fast approaching, we’re reducing the threat of vegetation coming in contact with powerlines. TasNetworks and our authorised contractors will be entering properties around the state over the coming weeks in order to clear any foliage growing too close to TasNetworks-owned distribution lines. Regardless of where you live, you can do your bit – don’t plant trees too close to powerlines. It’s everyone’s responsibility to be safe around electricity.

For more information visit tasnetworks.com.au or call us on 1300 137 008.

0320

M

We’re helping to prevent bushfi res around the state.

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FIRE AWARENESSA N A D V E R T I S I N G F E A T U R E

FIREFIGHTERS across Tas-mania are urging people to beaware of the potential dangersof campfires.

“One of the great thingsabout living in Tasmania isthat families can just pack uptheir camping gear, jump in thecar and head off,” TasmaniaFire Service chief officer ChrisArnol said.

“And campfires are an inte-gral part of that getaway tra-dition.

“But it is important to re-member a few basic rules whenusing them.”

Mr Arnol said campfiresshould never be left unatten-ded and should be small andwell-contained.

“Never light a fire on a‘Total Fire Ban’ day,” he said.

“It is your responsibility tocheck if any restrictions are inplace before you light one.

“Obey all signs in nationalparks and other reserves thatmay restrict where campfiresmay be lit.

“Remember campfires mustalways be extinguished withwater.”

The key campfire safetymessage from the TFS is “soakit, stir it and soak it again”.

“Use water to make sureyour fire is completely extin-guished,” Mr Arnol said.

“Do not use soil.“Fires can still smoulder

under soil and can stay hot formore than eight hours.”

He said that as Tasmaniamoved into the warmermonths, campers should be en-couraged to enjoy our beauti-ful state.

“But they should also beaware of their responsibilities,”Mr Arnol said. “Bushfires canlead to significant damage orloss of lives and property.”

The TFS’s campfire safetymessage is part of its wider2016-17 Bushfire Safety Cam-paign, which commenced lastmonth.

Mr Arnol said it was essen-tial for people staying or livingin or near bushland to have aBushfire Survival Plan, whichdetailed exactly how to pre-pare and what action to take ifthreatened by bushfire.

“Your plan must take intoconsideration the ages and

physical capabilities of every-one in your household, includ-ing children and the elderly,”he said.

“Once a Bushfire SurvivalPlan is in place, it is importantfor your family to know whataction to take when a bushfireapproaches.”

To download your Bushfire Survival Plan Booklet visit www.fire.tas.gov.au or free call 1800 000 699.

Fired up about safety

BURNING ISSUE: The TFS is urging holiday-makers to take extra care with campfires this summer and ensure they are fully extinguished before they leave a site.

C I T Y O F C L A R E N C E

Clarence. . . a br ighter place | w w w.ccc. tas.gov.au

FIRE SEASON

FIRE HAZARD REDUCTION SAVES PROPERTY AND LIVES

To prepare for a potentially hazardous fire season, Council reminds owners and occupiers of vacant land of the need to clear any fire hazards on their property.

Reducing fire hazards for suburban blocks and blocks up to 2000 square metres involves clearing and removing all grasses, scrub and undergrowth so that they are no higher than 75mm.

For larger blocks over 2000 square metres, a fire break 10 metres wide for flat land is required and a minimum of 15 metres for sloped land around the property boundaries. It should be noted it may not be necessary to remove trees, and care should be taken to preserve these if possible. It is suggested for large trees to remove limbs and vegetation to a height of two metres from the ground.

For more information on hazard reduction and fire safety call Council’s Ranger Service on 6217 9500, visit www.fire.tas.gov.auor call 1800 000 699.

Andrew PaulGENERAL MANAGER

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FIRE AWARENESSA N A D V E R T I S I N G F E A T U R E

THE Tasmania Fire Servicehas been working to preservethe stories of those who sur-vived the 1967 “Black Tuesday”bushfires, in the lead-up to thetragic event’s 50th anniversarynext year.

On February 7, 1967, 110separate fire fronts ragedthrough 2640 square kilome-tres of land in southern Tas-mania within five hours.

The fires claimed 62 lives,injured 900 people, left thou-

sands without homes, and sobecame one of the worst natu-ral disasters in Australian his-tory.

The total damage was esti-mated at about $40 million,with many properties andhomes destroyed, as well asfarms, parks and public infra-structure.

Throughout this year, theTFS Bushfire-Ready Neigh-bourhoods mobile video boothhas travelled around Tasmania

to build a collection of experi-ences.

Tales of survival, recovery,connectedness and resiliencehave been revealed.

TFS community develop-ment officer Lesley King, whoco-ordinated the project, said itwas remarkable to hear thevivid descriptions of people’sBlack Tuesday experience.

“The stories were told withvery raw emotion as if it wereyesterday,” she said.

“It is very important that wecollect these accounts, not onlyas a historical record but alsoas an educational tool. Peopleliving in and near the bushneed to know that bushfires inTasmania can move very fastand be unpredictable, es-pecially in a catastrophic bush-fire event like ’67.”

The collected stories will bedisplayed on the ’67 BushfiresStorymap from December 1 onthe TFS website fire.tas.gov.au

DEVASTATION: All that remained of The Springs Hotel on Mt Wellington after the 1967 bushfires.

Ordeal still fresh after 50 years

WITH bushfire season fast ap-proaching, TasNetworks is re-minding people that treesgrowing too close to power-lines are a safety risk, with thepotential to cause fires, cutelectricity supply and leavewires on the ground.

TasNetworks is encourag-ing customers to act now toprotect their homes and theirneighbours’ homes by ensur-ing all trees and shrubs arekept at least three metres clearof powerlines at all times.

“It’s everyone’s responsibil-ity to be safe around electricity,so it’s important homeownersand occupiers ensure trees ontheir property are well clear ofpowerlines all year round,”TasNetworks major works de-livery team leader Tony Ether-ington said.

Customers can help Tas-Networks prepare for bushfireseason by considering the riskswhen planting trees, and by re-porting any instances of treesgrowing too close to power-lines to TasNetworks.

“If customers see trees orvegetation in close proximity orat risk of coming into contactwith powerlines, please contactTasNetworks on 132 004,” MrEtherington said.

As well as its standard veg-etation program, TasNetworkshas begun its annual pre-fireseason vegetation inspectionand clearing program.

The aim is to reduce bush-fire risks by trimming andclearing overgrown vegetationin what are considered highbushfire danger areas.

Mr Etherington said thatwhile TasNetworks’ veg-etation management programis successful in helping to pre-vent highly dangerous situa-tions, it also relies on publicinformation to assist in identi-fying vegetation posing a risk.

“Bushfires can cost lives,hurt communities, and causemillions of dollars of damageto electrical infrastructure andto private property,’’ he said.

“They also have a severeimpact on the reliability ofpower supply to customers.”

Customers are encouragedto seek advice from their localnursery when planting treesand shrubs on their property toensure nearby powerlinesaren’t affected.

TasNetworks is committedto putting the safety of itsworkers and customers firstand educating the communityabout electrical safety, a vitalelement of its community safe-ty obligation.

Help keep all trees well away from lines

DANGER: A tree falls on powerlines.

Central Highlands Council

Owners and occupiers of land in the municipality

are advised that with the fire season fast

approaching it is now time to assess your

property and remove fire hazards. Over coming

weeks, abatement notices will, where considered

necessary, be issued for the appropriate clearing of

fire hazards.

Council seeks the co-operation of residents in

ensuring that their property does not constitute a

threat during the coming months.

For further information or for reporting of

a potential fire hazard, please contact the

Development & Environmental Services Office on

(03) 6259 5503.

Lyn Eyles

GENERAL MANAGER

FIRE HAZARD

BUSHFIRE SEASONPREPARATIONS

PROPERTY OWNERS SHOULD PREPARE THEIR PROPERTIES NOWDISPOSAL OF GARDEN MATERIAL

FREE ENTRY WEEKENDSMCROBIES GULLY WASTE MANAGEMENT CENTRE

www.hobartcity.com.au

(N. D. Heath) GENERAL MANAGER

To assist City of Hobart residents to prepare their properties for bushfire, free entry to the McRobies Gully facility for disposal of domestic quantities of green waste is scheduled for the following weekends:

10-11 December 2016*21-22 January 201725-26 February 2017

Residents are also invited to opt-in to the City’s fortnightly kerbside green waste service by going to: http://www.hobartcity.com.au/Environment/Recycling_and_Waste/Green_Waste*General and green waste free entry weekend

FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT PROGRAMPotential fire hazards can be reported tofirehazards@hobartcity.com.au or by calling 6238 2886

FIREBREAK MAINTENANCE AND HAZARD REDUCTION BURNING

Annual maintenance of the City’s firebreak network will be commencing in November and the program will be actively managed throughout the bushfire season. Enhancement works on some firebreaks will also be undertaken, commencing this year with Bicentennial Park.

Twelve bushfire hazard reduction burns, encompassing 270ha, were completed across the City last year. This year’s program has commenced with the completion of two burns in spring in Bicentennial Park and Knocklofty Reserve. The majority of the program is scheduled for Autumn 2017, subject to suitable weather conditions.

For specific information to assist you in being prepared for the bushfire season go to the Tasmania Fire Service website at http://www.fire.tas.gov.au/Show?pageId=colbushfirePrepareActSurvive

Robert Higgins, General Manager

Owners and occupiers of land in the Tasman Municipality are reminded that with the fire season fast approaching it is now time to assess your property and clear any potential fire hazards.

Inspections of properties will be undertaken in coming weeks, and where considered necessary, Fire Abatement Notices will be issued for the clearing of fire hazards in accordance with the Local Government Act 1993. Failure to comply with a Fire Hazard Abatement Notice will result in Council undertaking the work at the owner’s expense.

Council seeks the cooperation of ratepayers in ensuring that their property does not constitute a fire risk during the common months. For further information or for reporting a potential fire hazard, please contact the Council on (03) 6250 9200 or email: tasman@tasman.tas.gov.au

FIRE HAZARD

kingborough.tas.gov.au

BE BUSHFIRE READYKingborough Council reminds residents that the fire season is fast approaching. As a community we need to plan to ensure we are bushfire ready. Council recommend residents:• Prepare your property for bushfire, in accordance with Tasmania Fire

Service guidelines;• Complete a Bushfire Survival Plan;• Identify your Nearby Safe Place; and• Speak to your neighbours about being bushfire ready.

Burning within residential areas is prohibited. Once the Fire Permit Season is declared burning in rural areas must comply with Tasmania Fire controls.

Further information is available from Kingborough Council on 6211 8200 or www.fire.tas.gov.au

Prepare, Act, Survive - the key to surviving a bushfire is to make a plan and keep informed.

Gary ArnoldGENERAL MANAGER

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FIRE AWARENESSA N A D V E R T I S I N G F E A T U R E

AFTER a long and wet start to spring, the weather is beginning to improve.

The arrival of warmer anddrier weather means the Tasmania Fire Service can work with other agencies to conduct fuel reduction burns.

Fuel reduction burns are strategic burns aimed at protecting properties and reducing the potential damage of wildfires.

Fuel Reduction Program spokesman Ian Sauer said extensive planning had been in place throughout the year.

“Through the long, wet months of winter and spring this year, the process of planning, designing and approving fuel reduction

burns has been under way,” he said.

The planning process is varied, from analysing priority risk areas and working with computer risk models, to meeting with property owners and assessing environmental and social values in and around burn sites.

“Most of the work involvedin a large fuel reduction burn occurs before the matches are brought out of the pocket,” Mr Sauer said.

Parks and Wildlife, Forestry Tasmania, the TFS, and other landowners have all been undertaking burns when the site conditions have allowed it.

Across the state, 50 burns

are either ready to go or are in the last stages of preparation. Those that are not achieved this spring due to weather conditions will become part of future seasons’ burn schedules.

“Beyond this spring, well over 200 fuel reduction burn projects are currently in [the planning] process,” Mr Sauer said.

“Some will form the autumn 2017 and spring 2017 burn schedules, and many of the rest will be during 2018-19.

“Not all of these projects will result in burns taking place — sometimes unsolvable technical problems are encountered or property owners choose not to participate.

“In these cases, the burnsare re-examined and new possible options are developed.”

The Tasmanian Government has invested $28.5 million in the four-year program, which enables the TFS to work efficiently alongside the Parks and Wildlife Service and Forestry Tasmania to oversee and provide critical information about fuel reduction burns to the public.

To see if there are any fuel reduction burns planned near you, visit http://www.fire.tas.gov.au or email fru@fire.tas.gov.au for more information.

Spring burns on agenda

IMPORTANT STEP: Fire reduction burns in strategic areas can improve safety.

Six steps to a safer summer1 KNOW your risk — know if you live in a bushfire-prone area.

2 UNDERSTAND your local environment and your options shoulda bushfireoccur — to leave early, or to stay and defend your home.

3 CHECK theTasmania Fire Service website (www.fire.tas.gov.au) regularly for the following:Advice on how to prepare for bushfires.Current and expected fire danger ratings. Theyindicate how bad fires will be if they start, and should guide what action you will take on fire danger days.Bushfire alerts and warnings — in case a fire breaks out near you.Where nearby safer places are for shelter. These arelisted in the Community Bushfire Protection Plan for your area.Information on total fire bans and what you can and can’t do with fires when bans are in place.

4 PREPARE a bushfire survival plan. Your plan should include everyone who lives with you or is relying on you to keep them safe, as well as pets or livestock. Talk today with your family and your neighbours about your bushfire survival plan and what you will do.

5 EVEN if it is not a day of total fire ban, think of the weather conditions and use common sense when doing anything that could start a fire.

6 SOME bushfires are started by arsonists. If you seeanything suspicious, no matter how insignificant, immediately call the police.