Parts of Queensland face increased fire risk, partly because of damage to vegetation caused by cyclones Debbie in March and Marcia in 2015.

The two storms caused significant damage to coastal vegetation south of Bowen, according to the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Co-operative Research Centre’s Northern Australia Seasonal Bushfire Outlook.

“Very strong winds stripped leaves from the canopy, increasing the fine fuel loads and changing the structure of the vegetation,” the outlook says.

“These changes to the fuel persist and there remains an increased fire risk in this area.”

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services staff from northern and central regions are co-ordinating risk identification and hazard mitigation activities.

Much of western and central Queensland is destocked of cattle following three years of drought, but this year’s rain has resulted in increased fuel loads in some areas.

“However, due to both the high price and shortage of store cattle, these areas remain either destocked or only lightly stocked,” the outlook says. “This has created higher-than-normal fuel loads that will carry into this northern Queensland fire season.”

In northern WA, recent weather conditions mean above-normal fire potential is expected in parts of the Ord Victoria Plain and Dampierland regions of the Kimberley.

The southern half of the Pilbara and central parts of the Gascoyne region also face above-normal fire potential.

The bushfire outlook for southern Australia will be released in September.