Tasmania is in crisis as bushfires rage across the island’s northwest, spreading unpredictably due to high temperatures, parched land, and powerful winds.
With emergency warnings in place, residents and beekeepers in threatened areas have already begun evacuating. The fires come amid record-breaking drought and a severe heatwave, exacerbating the danger. Relief may be on the horizon, as a cold front is expected to bring cooler, wetter conditions later in the week.
Fires Ignite in Northwestern Tasmania
In early February 2025, bushfires broke out in northwestern Tasmania and have continued burning for over a week, fueled by strong winds, warm temperatures, and dry conditions.
Thick smoke from the fires is visible in the image above, captured at approximately 4 p.m. local time (05:00 ” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]” tabindex=”0″ role=”link”>UTC) on February 12, 2025, by NASA’s Aqua satellite using the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) instrument.
Lightning Strikes Spark Multiple Blazes
The fires began on February 3 when lightning strikes from dry thunderstorms ignited multiple blazes across the state’s North West region, according to news reports. By February 12, more than a dozen fires had burned through approximately 50,000 hectares (190 square miles).
On February 13, the Tasmanian government issued an emergency warning for a fire advancing toward Sandy Cape, a popular beach camping destination. Authorities described the fire as “uncontrollable, unpredictable, and fast-moving.” In the satellite image, thick smoke blankets the area of Sandy Cape.
Threats to Corinna and Local Industries
Meanwhile, another fire was nearing the town of Corinna, where a “watch and act” warning remained in place. According to news reports, local beekeepers have already evacuated their hives, as the region’s leatherwood trees—critical for honey production—are under threat from the encroaching flames.
According to a heatwave warning from Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), much of the state’s west coast saw severe heatwave conditions on several days during the week of February 10. The region has also been exceptionally dry. For example, the past 12-month period has been the driest on record (since 1900) along the coastal areas near Sandy Cape.
Strong Winds and Possible Relief Ahead
Forecasts called for damaging winds with gusts of up to 90 kilometers (55 miles) per hour ahead of an approaching cold front. Cooler, wetter weather was expected toward the end of the week.
NASA Earth Observatory image by Michala Garrison, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview.
