Parts of Australia’s east and west face heightened bushfire risk this spring as long-term rainfall deficiencies persist in southern SA, Victoria, Tasmania and western WA.

Victoria’s south, southwest, central and southwest Gippsland regions have been flagged by the Australian and New Zealand Council for Fire and Emergency Services, along with SA’s southeast.

In Tasmania, significant spring rainfall is needed to avoid “widespread landscape dryness and the emergence of above-normal bushfire potential” in late spring and early summer.

In the west, bushfire risk is higher than normal for the Dampier Peninsula, Derby coast, central Kimberley, Little Sandy Desert and southeastern Pilbara areas.

Spring daytime temperatures are likely to be above average for northern, western and southeastern Australia, with warmer nights forecast almost nationwide.

Rainfall is likely to be below average in parts of southern WA and above average for the eastern half of Australia.

Nationwide rainfall since March has been below average over much of SA, parts of southern and central WA, most of Victoria, inland southeast NSW and Tasmania, but it has been above average for northern WA, most of NT and Queensland, and parts of northern and eastern NSW.  

Small areas of Queensland and the NSW Mid North Coast have had record rainfall for the six-month period.

Some climate models indicate “borderline La Nina conditions” in spring and early summer, according to the outlook.

In the latest Insurance News magazine: ICA's climate chief returns from a global fact-finding trip with talk of a "a game-changer for how we tackle risk"