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Tasmanian bushfires report criticises emergency services Tasmanian bushfires report criticises emergency services
(35 minutes later)
An inquiry into the bushfires that ravaged much of eastern Tasmania in January has highlighted numerous failures in the emergency services’ handling of the blazes.An inquiry into the bushfires that ravaged much of eastern Tasmania in January has highlighted numerous failures in the emergency services’ handling of the blazes.
The independent inquiry, which was led by special investigator Mal Hyde, has made 103 recommendations on how to improve police, traffic management and evacuation procedures. The independent inquiry, which was led by former South Australian police commissioner Mal Hyde, has made 103 recommendations on how to improve fire, police, traffic management and evacuation procedures.
The report is critical of the fire service for failing to respond to computer simulations that indicated the town of Dunalley would be ravaged by fire. It also highlights confusion over the chain of command for the emergency, an inadequate strategy for road closures and the lack of any sort of plan for evacuations.The report is critical of the fire service for failing to respond to computer simulations that indicated the town of Dunalley would be ravaged by fire. It also highlights confusion over the chain of command for the emergency, an inadequate strategy for road closures and the lack of any sort of plan for evacuations.
The fires destroyed more than 400 properties, causing more than $100m in damage. No lives were lost, although more than 10,000 cattle died. The fires destroyed more than 400 properties, including nearly 200 homes, causing more than $100m in damage. No lives were lost, although more than 10,000 cattle died.
Lara Giddings, the Tasmanian premier, said the state government had accepted all of the recommendations in principle and would be fasttracking 31 of them. She told parliament it was “critical we respond quickly now that weaknesses have been identified”. According to the report, 3,000 firefighters fought 34 fires in catastrophic conditions on 4 January. It details how the fire storm jumped a canal to engulf Dunalley, causing hundreds of people to evacuate and seek shelter.
More details soon ... “The fact that no person was killed should not simply be taken as an indication that the emergency management arrangements worked well,” the report states. “It is highly likely the preparedness of many people in the community and emergency warnings contributed to this outcome. In a number of respects the emergency management arrangements worked well. However, in a number of ways they did not.”
The report said there should be a state plan for relocating people during an emergency and said advice to flee at the last moment was contrary to standard firefighting practice, which recommends people leave their houses early, if at all.
A more integrated approach between the various emergency response agencies, with a clear chain of command and responsibility, was needed ahead of future bushfire seasons, the report stated.
It added that the sheer number of bushfire warnings in January – 179 in total – overwhelmed local media, making it difficult for people to become aware of fire threats.
Lara Giddings, the Tasmanian premier, said the state government had accepted all the recommendations in principle and would be fast-tracking 31 of them. She told parliament it was “critical we respond quickly now that weaknesses have been identified”.
Giddings said a new website called AlertTas would be created to provide information on fire threats. Tasmanian police will develop a plan on evacuations while computer modelling will be improved ahead of the 2014 bushfire season, she added.
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