2013 Tasmanian Bushfires Inquiry Volume Two - Appendices INDEX OF APPENDICES APPENDIX A1 TERMS OF REFERENCE APPENDIX E1 APPENDIX E1 - TASMANIA FIRE SERVICE & TASMANIA POLICE TIMELINES APPENDIX E2 APPOINTMENT OF SOUTHERN REGIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CONTROLLER APPENDIX E3 CRIME SCENE DECLARATION & SERIOUS INCIDENT SITE DECLARATION APPENDIX E4 EXPLANATION OF TASMANIA FIRE SERVICE 6 OPERATIONAL PRIORITIES WHEN BUSHFIRES ARE BURNING OUT OF CONTROL APPENDIX E5 TASMANIA POLICE EMERGENCY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT POINTS (TMP) ACCESS LEVELS APPENDIX E6 VICTORIAN TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT POINTS – BUSHFIRE INFORMATION CARD APPENDIX E7 SOUTH AUSTRALIAN STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN – ANNEX I – EVACUATION GUIDELINES APPENDIX E8 VICTORIA POLICE EVACUATION GUIDANCE CARD APPENDIX E9 TASMANIA FIRE SERVICE COMMUNITY BUSHFIRE PROTECTION PLAN & COMMUNITY BUSHFIRE RESPONSE PLAN DOCUMENTS APPENDIX G1 SOUTH AUSTRALIAN STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN – ANNEX J – PUBLIC INFORMATION AND WARNINGS APPENDIX G2 EXPLANATION OF PREPARE ACT SURVIVE APPENDIX G3 TASMANIA FIRE SERVICE WARNING TIME LINES APPENDIX G4 EXAMPLE OF AN EMERGENCY WARNING APPENDIX I1 NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR DISASTER RESILIENCE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN TASMANIA APPENDIX A1 TERMS OF REFERENCE Terms of Reference to Inquire into the Tasmanian Bushfires active on 4 January 2013 On Friday 4 January 2013, Tasmania experienced a record heat wave across the State which contributed to catastrophic bushfire conditions. A number of bushfires active that day were unable to be controlled for some days and destroyed significant amounts of public and private property. Fortunately there was no loss of life or serious injury as a direct consequence of these fires. Tasmania is a State subject to very high fire risk and has previously experienced extensive and catastrophic bushfires, most notably on 7 February 1967, when what are now known as the Black Tuesday bushfires, left 62 people dead, 900 injured and over seven thousand homeless. Since 1967 the Tasmanian emergency services have developed a coordinated State-wide approach to planning for and responding to bushfires and an extensive network of career and volunteer emergency services personnel. Previous State and inter-State inquiries into fire management and emergency response, most recently the Black Saturday Bushfire Royal Commission conducted in Victoria after the devastating and catastrophic bushfires that occurred in that State in February 2009, has helped to inform the approach taken by Tasmania. Notwithstanding the efforts to date, it is likely that Tasmania will continue to experience extreme or catastrophic fire danger weather events, such as that experienced on 4 January 2013 and that this will continue to challenge fire prevention and mitigation strategies and emergency response and recovery arrangements in the State of Tasmania. The inquiry will report on the following matters: 1. The immediate causes and circumstances of the bushfires which were active in Tasmania on the 4 January 2013, with particular focus on the three bushfires that caused the most significant property loss; the “Forcett Fire”, “Lake Repulse Fire” and the “Bicheno Fire”. 2. All aspects of the emergency response on the 4 January 2013, particularly measures taken to control the spread of the three main fires and to protect life, private and public property and essential infrastructure. 3. The adequacy of the transition from response to recovery in the week following the 4 January 2013. 4. The preparation and planning by all levels of government, agencies and the emergency services for the fire season of 2012/13 in general and the catastrophic fire danger weather event on 4 January 2013 in particular. 5. The effectiveness of the strategies and plans related to managing bushfire risk in Tasmania that were in place prior to the bushfires burning on 4 January 2013. 6. The use and efficacy of community alerts, warnings and information arrangements in general and in particular the use and efficacy of various forms of social media by a. authorities in responding to bushfires; and b. private citizens, during bushfires; and c. the adequacy of existing arrangements for dealing with that use in a constructive and safe manner. 7. Any other matters relevant to the terms or reference AND To make recommendations arising out of this inquiry about improvements to ensure arrangements are established to adequately protect the community from the incidence and effect of bushfire. In undertaking this review, appropriate regard will be had to ensuring all interested parties have an opportunity to make submissions in relation to the matters set out above. All submissions are to be taken into account in making any recommendations. The Inquiry will also consider the research and reports already initiated by the Tasmanian Fire Service (from the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre and the Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council) and take them into account in making any recommendations. The focus of this Inquiry is on the strategic, systemic and organisational level. It is not intended to, nor should it focus on individual fault finding. In the event information of significant individual failure or of alleged criminal conduct comes to the attention of this inquiry, that information is to be referred to the appropriate authority, on a confidential basis. The Inquiry is to report by 30 September 2013. APPENDIX E1 TASMANIA FIRE SERVICE & TASMANIA POLICE TIMELINES Bicheno Fire - Police Timeline Thursday 3 January 2013 Time Activity 10.52pm TFS advises Bicheno police of a fire at Lilla Villa, Bicheno. Possibly caused by a lightning strike. 11.39pm Bicheno police remain in the area due to concern the fire may flare up and travel across to Friendly Beaches. Lightning strikes occurring in the area. Friday 4 January 2013 Time Activity 2.12am Bicheno police leave the fire and advise the fire brigade will be staying with the fire overnight. 12.30pm Bicheno police re-attend Lilla Villa fire and fire crews are putting out spot fires. The main fire appears under control and no major issues. 2.00pm Police depart the Lilla Villa fire. 3.56pm Bicheno police called to re-attend the Lilla Villa fire as it has taken hold again. 4.11pm TFS advises police Radio Room that Courland Bay, Bicheno needs to be evacuated as the fire is heading that way and spotting 400m ahead of itself. 4.33pm Bicheno police advise that all occupants of Courland Bay have been advised to leave. There are five houses in the area, two are unoccupied at the time. 4.35pm Bicheno police head to Harveys Farm Road to advise residents to evacuate. 4.47pm Police request State Emergency Service assistance for road block of Courland Bay Road. 7.09pm TFS request police units to Harveys Farm Road to assist with evacuation. 10.27pm Harveys Farm residents are not being told to evacuate but to prepare for evacuation. Saturday 5 January 2013 Time Activity 4.58am TFS request police assistance at Harveys Farm Road as the area is under ember attack and a number of locals are evacuating. 5.22am Bicheno constable advises he is evacuating houses in Harveys Farm Road as smoke is across the area. 5.29am Bicheno constable advises houses on Harveys Farm Road near the Tasman Highway are evacuating as a precaution in case the fire goes over the ridge. 7.30am Bicheno police attend a briefing at Bicheno fire station. 8.00am Northern District Commander assumes responsibility for the response to the Bicheno fire, due to Southern District resources being tied up with the Forcett and Lake Repulse fires. 8.56am Bicheno constable advises that Coles Bay Road at the Tasman Highway intersection is closed. 9.30am Major Incident Room is set up at Launceston Police Headquarters. 9.30am Bicheno police change radio channels and operate on a Northern Channel. Mobile phone coverage in the area very poor. 10.00am Coles Bay Road is closed to tourists but residents still allowed access at this stage. 10.30am Launceston inspector arrives at Bicheno to take charge on the ground. 11.00am Bicheno constable travels to Coles Bay to advise people and businesses in the area of the fire situation. 11.12am Swansea police help with road blocks on the Tasman Highway at either end of the Coles Bay turn off. No vehicles are allowed to travel north or south except emergency services vehicles. Some vehicles are escorted into Coles Bay during small windows of opportunity. Escorts are arranged by police on the ground in consultation with Parks and Wildlife Service. 12.10pm Harveys Farm Road residents are being evacuated again. 12.22pm Incident Management Team advises police that Coles Bay Road is unsafe to travel and no vehicles are to be let through. 12.40pm Tasman Highway blocked at the intersection with Harveys Farm Road. No vehicles are allowed south except emergency services vehicles. Tasman Highway blocked at the intersection of Coles Bay Road. No vehicles are allowed to travel north except emergency services vehicles. 12.48pm Wind change cancels the need to evacuate Harveys Farm Road residents. 1.10pm Red Cross advises it has been activated to help in registration at the Bicheno Community Fire Refuge. 2.27pm Advised that the fire is about to breach Coles Bay Road about 1km from the Tasman Highway. A number of cars in danger are moved from the intersection of Tasman Highway and Coles Bay Road. 2.41pm Approximately 15 houses in Llandaff are evacuated. 2.52pm TFS advises the fire has crossed Coles Bay Road. 3.12pm Advised that there has been an issue with the TFS emergency warning SMS to Bicheno locals, and Telstra is rectifying. 3.14pm Residents of Apslawn are warned and on high alert. 3.15pm Road block on the Tasman Highway is moved further South to Old Coach Road at Cranbrook. 4.00pm Additional police resources arrive from Launceston. 6.45pm Tasman Highway re-opened but may be subject to further closures. Overnight Bicheno constable remains in Coles Bay overnight in the event Coles Bay becomes cut off.