"The weather conditions are still the same (as in 1967), the fuel loads and the drying of fuels is no different, so the conditions are there to allow a similar fire to occur," he said.

"A classic example is the East Coast fires of late last year. In certain conditions there is nothing we can do to slow the fire, and we just fall back to defending property."

Mr Lowe said crucial tools that the TFS had developed were permit systems and total fire bans, which allowed them to control and restrict fire use.

Forty years ago today on Black Tuesday, fires ripped into Hobart and surrounds, wreaking havoc and leaving over 60 people dead and thousands homeless Mr Lowe said the TFS of the current day was almost incomparable with the fire service that was overwhelmed by the Black Tuesday blazes. Firstly the service, which used to be two separate organisations for urban and country fires, has merged.

Mr Lowe said they were better trained, organised and informed, had cutting edge communications and custom-built equipment.

He said the public also had better awareness and preparedness and the TFS had forged close bonds with councils, organisations like Forestry Tasmania and the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association and community.

He said the events of 1967 had forced a move to safer practices.

"By being exposed to those kind of things it gets everybody aware of the issues and drives change a lot faster than what would have happened otherwise," he said.

"With a unified approach we are much better prepared now to face those conditions should they ever occur again."

TFS chief John Gledhill said he considered Black Tuesday as a "benchmark in worst case scenario".

"They were completely underprepared, they didn't have any idea that it could happen. There were a lot of lessons learned the hard way in 1967," he said.

READ MORE ANNIVERSARY OF A TRAGEDY: Pages 6-7