Nineteen homes have been lost to a bushfire at Dolphin Sands on Tasmania’s east coast, Tasmania Fire Service has confirmed, with dozens damaged.
“There are approximately 195 assets that have been damaged or destroyed,” Tasmania Fire Services Emergency Services Commissioner Jeremy Smith said.
“They range from those structures, to garages, to outhouses, to vehicles, water tanks, et cetera.”
The blaze ripped through the dry coastal land, claiming 19 homes and damaging dozens more. (ABC News: Lily Thomson)
Mr Smith said authorities had notified most owners of properties claimed by the blaze, but a small number had not yet been identified.
He said impact assessments were ongoing.
Strong winds are expected again on Monday, bringing high fire danger.
“Once the winds ease on Tuesday, we’re still expecting some high fire danger with some dry air coming over the state during the afternoon period,” the Bureau of Meteorology’s Luke Johnston said.
‘Memories you never recover from’
Rob Churchill said the 700-hectare blaze crept within 5 metres of his home.
“We really thought we might lose a house that night, when we saw the fire wall coming through,” he said.
Dolphin Sands resident Rob Churchill’s home was spared, but he says it was “horrific” seeing others burnt to the ground. (Supplied: Lily Thomson)
The neighbours, whose place he often visited, were not as lucky.
“The neighbour two doors west of here, it’s a house we’ve had lots of nice social engagements in over the last few years,” Mr Churchill said,
“It’s pretty horrific looking at that house on the ground today.”
He said he had also seen a number of other properties burnt to the ground.
“These memories you never recover from,” he said.
The fire crept five metres from Rob Churchill’s home.
“It’s not the easiest environment to live in, we all know that, and we know that fires are our biggest fear and biggest danger.”
A community used to fire threats
Other residents of the east-coast locality are waiting to see what has become of their properties, as they grapple with yet another destructive season.
Dolphin Sands is no stranger to bushfires. At least eight have broken out on the peninsula in the past 15 years.
Tasmania Fire Service has now contained a bushfire that tore through the small east-coast community last week, leaving behind ash and rubble.
Luke Dawson’s photo of the Dolphin Sands bushfires on Thursday. (Supplied: Luke Dawson)
The fire service says 19 houses or shacks, 15 outbuildings and four vehicles were destroyed or damaged. (Supplied: Bridgewater Fire Brigade)
While the constant threat of fire weighs on Dolphin Sands’s 180-odd residents, some say it is simply part of life there and all they can do is be prepared and hope for the best.
Firefighters at Rhian Peltzer’s shack in Dolphin Sands on December 4. (Supplied: Rhian Peltzer)
The eerie sight of the Dolphin Sands bushfire and an almost full moon on December 4. (ABC News: Morgan Timms)
No fire weather warning issued before Tasmanian fires
Diane Bricknell and her family thought they were buying a holiday home, back in 2003.
But after staying there twice, they moved in permanently.
“It’s the most beautiful place,” she said.
The area boasts ocean and mountain views, white sands and bush, with native birds that flutter around her property.
“But no, we are realists, and we’re pragmatic and we realise that there is a cost.
“Every year it might be the year.”
Diane Bricknell says she took a few possessions, including her dogs, and fled. (ABC News: Morgan Timms)
Ms Bricknell was one of many who evacuated, and she is yet to return.
“A neighbour called me, she said, ‘There is a fire a kilometre away … and it’s north-west of us,’ and she said, ‘Pack and leave,'” Ms Bricknell said.
“And I ran round, I had a box ready with photos, I grabbed my dogs … and I left.”
Dolphin Sands bushfire destroys homes in 2023
While she has been around for other fires and seen neighbours lose homes, this is the closest the blaze has ever come to her property.
“It’s just luck of the fire,” she said.
“Apparently, my house survived, but it burnt each side of my house and it burnt my shed down, it burned underneath my caravan, but the caravan’s fine.
“Other people lost their houses.
“It’s one of those things, nature is fierce, and you can do your best … you just hope that it’ll work out.
“We realise we’ll probably have to move, but we will leave it, our property’s worth a lot less now.”
The view of the Dolphin Sands bushfire smoke plume on December 4. (ABC News: Morgan Timms)
Paul Haddad bought his shack more than 20 years ago.
“All that time I’ve been concerned about fire, but we’ve been unscathed,” he said.
He cannot break ties.
“It’s just heaven on earth; it’s the most delightful place for a shack,” he said.
“This is a really fire-prone area … and it’s just a matter of luck as to where it starts.”
So far, Paul Haddad has been lucky and his residence has been unscathed. (ABC News: Morgan Timms)
TasNetworks says at least 40 power poles were destroyed or damaged, along with several transformers. (TasNetworks)
Private burnoff blamed for Dolphin Sands bushfire in 2019
With only one access road in and out, residents risk becoming trapped.
Mr Haddad’s emergency plan involves either going to the easternmost point, or even getting on to the beach and entering the water, depending on the severity.
He has taken precautions to safeguard his property, and they were inspected by the Volunteer Fire Service.
He took the precautions to his insurer to see if they would bring his premium down.
“And the answer was no, they can’t do anything other than just assume everyone’s exposed to the same level,” he said.
“But time will tell whether those precautions actually accomplished anything.”
Despite his best efforts, Mr Haddad accepts there is only so much he can do.
“If the fire starts to the east of you, it blows away, and that’s what’s happened most of the time,” he said.
“But this one started well to the west of us and carried very quickly right past us.”
The view from a firefighting truck during the Dolphin Sands emergency. (Supplied: Bridgewater Fire Brigade)
Tasmania Fire Service regional fire commander Simon Pilkington said Dolphin Sands was a highly flammable area.
“Dolphin Sands, it’s covered predominantly in coastal heath, so [Acacia] boobialla coastal wattle … it’s connected nearly continuously all the way through,” he said.
“That type of fuel, with a high oil content, all it needs is a fire to start and wind and it’ll drive under almost any conditions.”
Aerial view of the Dolphin Sands bushfire in November 2023. (Supplied: Tasmania Police)
As of Sunday, crews were still extinguishing pockets of fire.
The road east of 191 Dolphin Sands Road remains closed, and authorities are determining when it can safely reopen.
Fire crews battle flames near a residence. (Supplied: Lenah Valley Fire Brigade)
A firefighting crew takes a break during efforts at Dolphin Sands. (Supplied: Lenah Valley Fire Brigade)
Crews from a number of brigades were enlisted in the firefighting effort. (Supplied: Beaconsfield Fire Brigade)
The bushfire damaged or destroyed dozens of poles and power infrastructure. (ABC News: Morgan Timms)
Incident controller Mark Klop thanked the Dolphin Sands community for its “incredible resilience and community spirit” in recent days.
“At this stage, it is not safe for residents or vehicles to enter the area. Significant debris remains on properties, including roofing materials and contaminants,” he said.
“We recognise that this is stressful and frustrating for residents, but the safety of the community and responding emergency services is our number-one priority at this time.”
On Sunday, authorities said overnight rain had helped ease conditions on the Dolphin Sands fireground. (Bridgewater Fire Brigade)
Premier Jeremy Rockliff commended firefighters and State Emergency Service crews for their efforts.
“My heart goes out to all those homeowners, shack owners, and their families who have been impacted,” he said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Residents are urged to stay updated by checking the TasAlert website
