A PILOT has crashed his helicopter while fighting Tasmania's raging bushfires in the Derwent Valley.
The drama unfolded as Tasmania again found itself at the mercy of raging bushfires just weeks after blazes wiped out homes and livelihoods in the Derwent Valley, at Bicheno and on the Tasman Peninsula.
Homes are under threat in the Molesworth area north of Hobart as a total fire ban was declared for today in the North and South of the state.
The helicopter pilot is lucky to be alive after his chopper crashed while fighting the Molesworth fire.
Visit the Tasmania Fire Service website for the latest updates.
The Molesworth fire in pictures Police say the 52-year-old Hobart man was flying one of four helicopters water-bombing the out-of-control fire when he crashed in a clearing at 5pm.
The pilot escaped from the stricken aircraft and the nearby bushfire and was flown to safety by the Tasmania Police Rescue Helicopter.
He was taken to the Royal Hobart Hospital, where he was reported to be in a stable condition with some bruising.
The Molesworth fire had reached Suhrs Rd, Fehlbergs Rd, Valley Rd and Collins Cap Rd late last night.
Firefighters were on high alert as the fire headed towards Myrtle Forest Rd and Old Springdale Rd.
Embers, smoke and ash was falling on Molesworth, Glenlusk and Collinsvale.
Fire refuges have been set up at the Derwent Entertainment Centre and Carinya behind the New Norfolk High School.
Three safe havens have also been set up at the Collinsvale War Memorial Hall at Halls Rd, the Molesworth Community Hall and the Malbina Cemetery.
Yesterday also marked the 46th anniversary of the deadly 1967 fires and the significance of the date was not lost on many firefighters battling infernos at Molesworth, Franklin and Lefroy. The Molesworth fire, the biggest of the three last night, began on Wednesday and jumped Glen Huon Rd to threaten properties on Wednesday night.
High temperatures yesterday resulted in the blaze reigniting in multiple locations and by late afternoon firefighters admitted they were facing another potential disaster.
The fire broke containment lines and approached homes at Collinsvale last night before conditions eased and the fire was downgraded to a watch and act alert.
"Due to the steep terrain, it's causing the winds to blow from variable directions so the fire's been very unpredictable," Tasmanian Fire Service senior station officer Phil Douglas said.
Reinforcements from across the state were called in to help with more than 38 teams and five water-bombing helicopters trying to stop the blaze from reaching homes at Collinsvale and beyond.
Caravans, sheds and cars were lost by mid-afternoon and residents evacuated.
"Our priorities are saving life then property," fire safety officer Paul Coad, who was at the forefront of the Dunalley blaze just a few weeks ago, said.
"Some houses we can defend and some we cannot. That's the harsh reality of this situation and we need the community to work with us because in a situation like this you don't get second chances."
Tasmania Police and the fire service want information about vehicles or people seen behaving suspiciously near Glen Dhu Rd between 10am and 2pm on Wednesday.
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