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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