Tasmania fires destroy huge swath of wilderness and could ‘burn for weeks’

Around 90,000 hectares of remote country in the state's north-west have been razed after fires sparked by lightning strikes

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Fires that have razed 90,000 hectares of remote Tasmanian wilderness, including world-heritage listed areas and parts of the famous Overland walking track, could burn for weeks as firefighters battle to contain blazes in remote terrain.

By late on Friday, more than 20 fires - which were sparked by dry lightning strikes on 3 February - had a combined perimeter of about 1,200km in the state's north-west.