Dry conditions and increased fuel loads have led to elevated bushfire risk across large parts of the nation heading into spring, experts say.

The Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC) seasonal outlook flags heightened danger in Victoria’s Gippsland region and far west, and southwest of Geelong; eastern Tasmania; parts of NSW; several zones in WA; and much of the NT.

 

 

The outlook follows the Bureau of Meteorology’s June declaration of an El Nino, which is typically associated with below-average rainfall in southern and eastern areas and above-average temperatures in most places. Intensification is likely during spring and the event is expected to persist into autumn.

The AFAC seasonal outlook draws on analysis by fire specialists across Australia, and climate prediction and fire weather experts from the Bureau of Meteorology.

CEO Rob Webb says it “highlights 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”.

And he warns that bushfires can still occur in regions with a normal seasonal outlook.

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