The challenging wildfire conditions have delayed the reopening of popular hiking tracks as emergency crews focus on inclusion of flames out of control.
Tasmanian authorities extended the closure of the Overland truck until February 23 after it was closed on February 5th due to a fire at Canning Peak near Cradle Mountain in the state’s central highlands.
Bushwalker has moved away from one of the state’s most popular trails after dry lighting caused flames on February 3rd. The fire spread out in a 65-kilometer direction and spread over several days of trails in the state’s World Heritage Wilderness area.
The extension of the closure is the result of challenging fire conditions expected to continue through next week, said Nick Deka of the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Department.
“The closure of the Overland Truck has been extended for two weeks to ensure that the fire boundary is contained, and there is a certainty of the ability to keep the Walkers safe,” Deka said.
State fire commander Matt Lowe said the peak canned fire had been extended to 1,700 hectares, with most of its growth being extended due to reverse burning.
Related Stories
Parks and wildlife Afsley Rushton confirmed that burning in the back also affected parts of the Overland Truck’s boardwalk.
“We haven’t been able to do a full assessment yet. That’s another part of the reason for the extended closure,” he told reporters on Feb. 7.
Meanwhile, firefighters continue to respond to other fires in the northwest of the state, with three biggest fires burning over 20,000 hectares in Canning Peak, the Savage River and the Arthur Peppman Conservation Area, Lowe said. .
“We continue to carry out containment operations, including mechanical, backburning and aviation operations, and community members should expect to see smoke in the air,” he said.
Weather Service Luke Johnston said weather conditions in Tasmania will be settling throughout the weekend and appear to settle for the start of next week.
“There could be isolated light shower activity around the northwest near the fire in the coming days, but nothing is important and nothing really makes a difference,” he said. .
The trail is scheduled to reopen on February 24th, with full refunds being offered to those booked by truck while it remains closed.
