A lightning strike has destroyed a vacant house near Sheffield overnight after a severe storm tore across Tasmania.
The Tasmania Fire Service say lightning struck a tree near the house on Claude Road in the early hours of Thursday morning and set the house alight.
Lightning strikes are also believed to have caused a bushfire in North Motton, south of Ulverstone, this morning.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, approximately 284,000 lightning strikes were recorded “in the Tasmania region” in the 24 hours to 9am Thursday.
Multiple aircraft have been dispatched to search for potential new fires across the state today following the storms, with the SES expecting to find some blazes in remote areas.
Most of the storm activity appears to now be over, with cold front moving over Tasmania today.
“Further high fire danger is expected on Saturday across most of the state,” the SES say.
“High Fire Danger ratings are in place across Furneaux Islands, Central North, North East, East Coast, Midlands and the South East.”
