Firebugs lit more fires as emergency crews battled Ravenswood deliberately lit blaze, TFS says

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Fire investigators have determined a bush fire that came within metres of homes in Launceston was deliberately lit. Both residents and authorities say they are fed up with firebugs and want the community’s help to catch them.

Transcript

00:00 An ominous red glow above Launceston from an out of control bushfire.

00:06 I've been in Ravenswood on and off for 30 years and that's the worst I've ever seen.

00:14 The blaze quickly took hold on Wednesday afternoon, fire crews fighting the flames from the ground

00:20 and from the air.

00:27 Residents were told to be prepared to leave, flames came within 20 metres of homes.

00:33 We did have the fire come really close to some properties.

00:37 We had our firefighting crews in asset protection.

00:42 An investigation has determined the fire was deliberately lit.

00:46 Firebugs also started multiple other blazes at the height of the danger.

00:51 Remember our volunteer members are leaving their partners, families, workplaces to actively

00:57 protect our community.

00:59 And when these fires start that are deliberate, it's incredibly frustrating.

01:04 Frustrating not just for authorities, but for community members.

01:08 Janine Ma says the fire is the third that has come near her home just in the last month.

01:13 They just want to see the fire trucks and the helicopters that come out.

01:18 So I don't think they realise how close they are to homes.

01:23 It's not only homes that have been under threat, fire crews have also been working to protect

01:28 key infrastructure.

01:30 Flames reached this water treatment plant that supplies drinking water to much of Launceston.

01:35 The conditions at the moment make our community particularly susceptible and yeah it's serious.

01:40 So we're asking people not to do it, but what we actually need is help from the community

01:44 to try and catch the people responsible.

01:47 Fire crews have spent the day reinforcing containment lines and conducting back burning

01:52 ahead of hot and dry conditions this weekend.

01:55 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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