Thick dark smoke has been seen billowing into the air off the southern tip of Bruny Island this afternoon as firefighting efforts continue against a growing bushfire in South Bruny National Park.
Boatie Howard Tapping captured footage of the smoke around 5:30pm on Sunday, showing significant plumes rising from the island’s south.
The blaze, which began on the afternoon of 30 October at the northern end of the Labillardiere Peninsula, started with three separate ignition points according to the Tasmania Fire Service
Firefighters were initially unable to contain the fire due to “elevated fuel loads, difficult access and failing light,” a TFS spokesperson said.
The fire has spread through dry forest and heathland fuels, with authorities estimating the affected area to be approximately 750 hectares, though the full boundary has not yet been mapped.
Back burning operations have been undertaken to contain the fire to the northern side of the Luggaboine Track and adjacent slashed fuel breaks, which may result in increased smoke and fire activity visible to the public.
“Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service and Tasmania Fire Service will be on site to continue suppression works,” the TFS spokesperson said.
The TFS have confirmed no built assets are currently under threat from the fire, which is burning in a remote section of the national park.
Campers had been told to leave the Jetty Beach campground on Thursday as firefighters initially worked to contain the blaze.
The fire earlier saw the closure of the Cape Bruny Lighthouse after the fire forced Lighthouse Road to be closed, but it has since reopened.
