Queensland and NSW face increased bushfire risk this spring while Victoria can expect warmer weather in the next few months and an earlier start to the high risk fire season, according to the Australasian Fire Authorities Council (AFAC).

Climate influences have shifted significantly since last spring, with above average temperatures and below average rainfall expected for almost the entire country for the coming season, AFAC says in its seasonal bushfire outlook for spring.

The outlook says many regions have also seen increased fuel growth due to above average rainfall throughout recent La Nina years, which is contributing to increased risk of bushfire across parts of the country.

“We are often asked at this time of the year ‘will it be as bad as Black Summer’…but it doesn’t need to be a Black Summer to be dangerous and it just makes common sense for people to be prepared,” AFAC CEO Rob Webb said today at a press conference in Brisbane.

“We don’t need any reminders given what’s happened in the northern hemisphere whether it be Greece, whether it be Canada, where we’ve had 700 Australian firefighters and other specialists over there, and of course the tragic conditions in Hawaii.”

As part of preparations for the approaching fire season the Victorian Government announced today new heavy tankers have recently been delivered to seven Country Fire Authority (CFA) brigades in western Victoria. 
  
The heavy tankers will be boosted by the support from Ballarat City Fire Brigade’s new ultra heavy tanker, part of a fleet of 29 fire-fighting trucks to be rolled out across regional Victoria.

The Victorian Government says the ultra heavy tankers are a new type of vehicle that will significantly boost CFA firefighting capability in remote rural areas with open grasslands, utilising the tanker’s capacity to carry 10,000 litres of water.

In Queensland the state government announced today it will invest more than $85 million into a new three-year Rural Fire Service (RFS) vehicle building program.

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) will lead the program and commence a procurement process to deliver 285 new and replacement trucks over three years.

“As Queenslanders face the prospect of dangerous bushfires every year, it is vital our rural firefighters are equipped with the best and most up to date firefighting fleet,” QFES Commissioner Greg Leach said.

The AFAC outlook says bushfires may be destructive across parts of Queensland as vegetation becomes flammable during the spring months.

Whilst there has been periods of episodic rain events across southern Queensland during the late summer and early autumn periods, the general rainfall totals are significantly lower than the
past two years.

“This has led to reductions in soil moisture rates across the sub-tropical and temperate zones, and increased fire activity in these areas,” the AFAC outlook says.

In NSW large areas of central and northern parts of the state are expected to see increased risk of fire this spring due to high fuel loads and the forecast of warmer and drier conditions.

Click here for more from the spring outlook.