Authorities began escorting tourists out of Coles Bay on Wednesday morning after an out-of-control bushfire was downgraded to a watch and act alert the night before.
It marked the most serious bushfire scare for Tasmania so far this spring, the September emergency warning an ominous sign for the upcoming summer.
No one was hurt and no buildings were lost at Friendly Beaches as half-a-dozen crews dealt with wind gusts of more than 100 kilometres an hour overnight, but also welcomed some light rain.
Coles Bay Road will remain closed to the general public for some time as inspectors check for hazards.
Tasnetworks crews also began moving in after power was cut to more than 700 premises in the area.
Around 100 locals and visitors cut off from the Tasman Highway reportedly slept in their cars overnight.
Glamorgan Spring Bay Council General Manager Greg Ingham is praising kindhearted locals who helped out visitors who’d been cut off from the Tasman Highway.
“I understand there were people that got together in Coles Bay and arranged for bedding at the community hall there, there were around 20 people that slept overnight there, tourists and evacuees from the town,” he said.
“There’ll be some good learnings that will come out this that we need to address, the one-road-in-one-road-out situation in terms of emergencies.”
