THE death of a Victorian firefighter during a back-burning operation on the Tasman Peninsula on Sunday was a "kick in the guts" to Tasmanian firefighters, Tasmanian Fire Service chief officer Mike Brown has said.
Peter Ronald Cramer, 61, was found dead on a track at Taranna about 5pm on Sunday.
Mr Cramer, of Tyres in Gippsland, was a firefighter with the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment and had more than 30 years of firefighting experience.
He was also a volunteer firefighter with the Victorian Country Fire Authority.
Department secretary Greg Wilson said yesterday that Mr Cramer had been working alone and on foot to scope out potential containment lines for the Forcett fire, which ripped through Dunalley and destroyed or severely damaged more than 200 properties on January 4.
He was found three kilometres from the fire front and about a 15-minute walk from his car.
It is believed his death may have been caused by a medical condition.
Tasmania Police are preparing a report for the coroner.
Mr Cramer was one of more than 70 Victorian firefighters to travel to Tasmania this year to help the firefighting effort.
Help has also come from New South Wales and New Zealand.
Mr Brown expressed his condolences to Mr Cramer's family.
"Look it's a kick in the guts, quite frankly," he said.
"It's a sad time for the firefighting community."
Premier Lara Giddings yesterday asked Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu to pass on the state's condolences to Mr Cramer's family.
"We are just so grateful that we have people coming from New Zealand, from Victoria (and) from other states to assist us ... and it's a tragedy to think one of those people will not go home," she said.