Smoke from Sustainable Timber Tasmania planned burning risks tainting wine and beer, growers say

Wine and beer producers north of Hobart are pleading with authorities to stop planned forestry burns they say threaten their livelihoods — or do better in communicating that they are about to take place.

The complaints came after smoke from a planned regeneration burn in the Styx Valley, about two hours north-west of Hobart on Saturday, drifted over crops when the fire became out of control.

The state-owned forestry enterprise Sustainable Timber Tasmania said “gusty wind conditions” resulted in…