Last week a lightning storm moved across Tasmania from west to east in line with Franklin and started a number of bushfires. We are now sitting in smoke and don’t know what conditions will be like next week. The purpose of this message is to let you know the situation, assure you that we are taking the fire risk seriously and are enhancing our existing bushfire contingency plans for the Raid.    

Our overarching priority will be to ensure we don’t put lives or property at risk. Options we are currently considering include:   

·         Continue as originally planned   

·         Re-route the expedition   

·         Postpone the expedition   

·         Cancel the expedition   

Which course we take will depend on how things develop over the next few days. The forecast for Friday is for very hot temperatures and very strong winds – the very worst conditions when there are bushfires up wind. We will know more after Friday and will keep you informed as things develop. If you have a respiratory condition that makes you particularly sensitive to smoke please ensure you take precautions, including making sure you have supplies of any relevant medication, carry protective masks and monitor air quality alerts etc..