The fire at Four Mile Creek, as viewed from Davis Gully Road.
THE smoke rose in a plume from the wooded hillside, and Four Mile Creek man Barry Moody thought of a similar day six years ago.
Because, in truth, the conditions that nurtured yesterday's bushfire at Four Mile Creek were not unlike those that preceded the blaze of 2006: a horror show that burned 175 square kilometres and 22 homes on the East Coast.
Mr Moody and his fellow Davis Gully Road residents waited and watched yesterday as the fire, which had been burning since Wednesday afternoon, crept beneath the St Marys Pass.
Strong winds saw spot fires sprout up to one kilometre in front of the main fire front, which smouldered through rugged bushland between the ocean and St Marys.
Despite the bushfire being relatively small, it was unable to be controlled due to the inaccessible terrain surrounding the danger zone.
The Tasmanian Fire Service asked Davis Gully Road residents yesterday morning to prepare their homes for evacuation or defence.
Mr Moody remembered a similar order being given in December 2006.
"The fire six years ago started up in the hills too, and no one was really concerned about it at the time," he said.
"But then there was a change of wind and it just took off.
"Within eight hours it was on the house."
Mr Moody chose to stay and fight the fire that night in 2006. He and his house survived.
"My car exploded though," he said.
"It came pretty close to the house, it was just rising up over the hill." Mr Moody said that he was well prepared in case yesterday's fire grew.
"It's definitely that time of year when you keep your nose in the air," he said.
The high fire danger rating across the state also saw the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service close areas within Freycinet and Douglas Apsley national parks until tomorrow morning. The Freycinet Visitor Centre, Cape Tourville, Sleepy Bay, and Friendly Beaches, Richardsons Beach, Honeymoon Bay will all remain open.
