Source : Perth Now news
Little rain, heavy fuel loads and dry soil conditions have put large parts of Australia on high alert for bushfires this spring.
Parts of regional northern NSW, coastal Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia and a massive chunk of land throughout the Northern Territory and northern South Australia have been carved out as locations of concern.
The Australian and New Zealand Council for Fire and Emergency Services (AFAC) on Wednesday released its seasonal bushfire outlook for September, October and November with most state and territories facing a heightened risk of fire.
Expert fire specialists across Australia with climate prediction and fire weather experts from the Bureau of Meteorology conducted complex analysis to determine the seasonal outlook.
Northern and southeastern NSW, southeast Queensland, northeastern Tasmania, parts of Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and large parts of the Northern Territory have been warned of an increased bushfire risk.
AFAC chief executive Rob Webb said the outlook highlighted a heightened risk of fire across several parts of the country, driven by a combination of dry conditions in the east and increased fuel loads through parts of central and northern Australia.
Almost all of the Northern Territory has been flagged as a potential hotspot for bushfires as the nation moves into spring, with an extended fire season expected to conclude in November.
“The variety of risk factors across different regions reinforces the need for communities to understand their local conditions and prepare early,” he said.
“While some areas are facing an elevated risk of fire this spring, bushfires can still occur in regions with a normal seasonal outlook.
“Communities are encouraged to stay informed, monitor local conditions and follow advice from their fire and emergency services as the season unfolds.”
According to AFAC, the NT will find itself in a uniquely hazardous position due to “extensive, continuous above average fuel loads” thanks to recent flooding and heavy rainfall events.
Dozens of small communities and townships are located within the warning zone, including larger centres, including Alice Springs and Tennant Creek.
In northern NSW, where seasonal rainfall has been significantly below-average, cities including Armidale and Tamworth, as well as smaller communities of Walcha, Uralla, Gunnedah and Quirindi are expected to endure a higher-risk bushfire season.
Along coastal parts of the NSW/Victorian border regions, communities like Bega, Marimbula, Eden, Mallacoota, Lakes Entrance and Bairnsdale are all within the high-risk catchment zone.
Most of northeastern Tasmania has been included as an area of high risk, including the entire coastline from Bicheno to Cape Portland, and then across to George Town.
Over in Western Australia, some areas near the Stirling Range National Park have been registered as at-risk, as have townships inland from Geraldton including Mullewa and Morawa.
South Australia had its fourth warmest start to the year on record with both maximum and minimum temperatures well above average.
The state has also had its second wettest January to June on record. Spring temperatures are very likely to be warmer than average, with rainfall expected to dip below average during September.
Queensland enters spring with a mixed bushfire outlook shaped by regional climatic differences in rainfall, soil moisture, temperature and fuel condition.
Unseasonal rainfall across much of the state has moderated bushfire risk in some areas. However, parts of the southern interior, extending into the Darling Downs and Granite Belt, have remained comparatively dry.
Those areas may experience above average fire danger during spring, while areas in the Channel Country are expected to face comparatively lower levels of risk.
More to come
