Premier Will Hodgman said the government welcomed the Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council report into the state’s summer firefighting.

“This report vindicates their brave efforts during the unprecedented summer bushfires and should serve as a lesson for those who have unjustifiably criticised the operational response.”

The report said “public criticism of the way that the fires were handled” was “largely misplaced”. 

Wilderness Society Tasmania campaign manager Vica Bayley said the report in fact validated concerns about the timeliness of the reporting of the scale of the emergency, prioritisation of protecting infrastructure over the environment, and communication with the public from the government and other authorities.

Tasmanian Greens senator Nick McKim said the government should adopt all of the review’s recommendations.