The Far South Coast fires continued to be a threat, despite more favourable weather conditions, the Rural Fire Service says.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A Far South Coast RFS spokesperson said to be mindful there was a long time until the end of the bush fire danger period.
Firefighters were reconsolidating containment lines and securing edges on Friday, January 24.
Ground and air crews, supported through the incident management team were implementing strategies for containment.
Firefighting crews continued to directly attack where practicable and continued with ongoing monitoring and patrols.
Rural Fire Service Inspector Kelwyn White said Thursday's weather conditions were challenging.
"We had temperatures in the high 30s to low 40s, low humidity and strong winds gusting up to 100km/h," Inspector White said.
"There was fire running on several fronts and spotting kilometers ahead of the main fire front.
"Our firefighters worked tirelessly to do the best they could to stop the spread of fire and protect life and property."
Recent rain was not enough.
"We had control operations ongoing to maintain the fire in its existing footprint, but as Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons and the RFS have stated since the beginning, only season-ending rain will extinguish these fires," Inspector White said.
"Yesterday was a stark reminder the season is far from over.
"Despite the efforts of all agencies, the deteriorating weather pushed fire into our communities again.
"From today onward, we have mild conditions and we will focus on consolidating containment lines and securing edges. We still have a long way to go until the end of the fire season."
Assessment teams began counting the toll of homes, building and livestock on Friday.