Tas fire authorities defend preparation

TASMANIAN fire authorities have defended the amount of backburning done around the worst hit bushfire town of Dunalley.

Deputy Chief Officer of the Tasmania Fire Service Gavin Freeman has rejected a suggestion less fuel reduction than normal had occurred in the area.

"I don't believe there has been less done," Mr Freeman told reporters in Hobart.

"You can always look back with the benefit of hindsight and say, 'yes we can do more, perhaps'.

"Until we get these fires under control and are able to look back and do a proper analysis ... we don't really know whether fuel reduction burning would have been of benefit or not."

Around 90 properties were razed in and around the small fishing town in a blaze that started at Forcett southeast of Hobart and burned 23,000 hectares.

Emergency services minister David O'Byrne said 80 per cent of the land affected in the state had been private, and landholders shared a responsibility with government to ensure fire breaks were adequate.

"It's a bit early to be jumping to conclusions," he said.

"We will do the research but ultimately fuel reduction ... is a joint responsibility between government but also in the private land that is around Tasmania.

"It's important we have a community conversation around this. Now is not the time for that conversation."

Mr Freeman said backburning was not the only way to prevent bushfires.

"It's not without its problems," he said.

"There are small windows of opportunity to do fuel reduction burning."

While the damage has been extensive, the Tasmanian fires have so far been fatality free.

Mr Freeman said much had been learned from the Royal Commission into the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria.

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