‘Increased risk’: Bleak bushfire warning

Large swathes of Australia are being warned to brace for an “increased risk” of potentially deadly bushfires this spring after a winter marked by unseasonably heavy rains and record-breaking temperatures across the country.

The Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council (AFAC) said large areas of the Northern Territory, Queensland, parts of far western and southwestern Victoria and southeastern South Australia were at risk this spring.

Widespread above-average temperatures reported in August – the warmest on record according to the council – are expected to continue over the coming months in many states.

While some areas were forecast to have only a normal risk of fire this spring, AFAC chief executive Rob Webb said deadly and destructive fires could still occur and urged communities to prepare and adhere to advice of local fire authorities.

“Fire and emergency services are prepared for the fire season ahead and are here today to encourage communities to do the same. Understand your local risk, know where you will get your information,” Mr Webb said.

The AFAC’s regional outlook is developed in conjunction with a range of agencies, including state and territory emergency services and governments, environmental advocacy groups, and the Bureau of Meteorology.

It warned the drying out of grasslands in central and southern Queensland caused by winter frosts and dry winds had increased fire risks this spring, while unseasonal rains in Queensland and the Northern Territory had increased fuel loads.

Further south, the AFAC warned that large parts of southeastern South Australia and Western Australia, as well as parts of Tasmania, received rainfall in the lowest 10 per cent on record over the first half of the year.

Conversely, southwestern WA and western Tasmania received well above-average rainfall, easing conditions there, while Victoria, SA and Tasmania were warned of a potential early start to the fire season if dry weather persists.

NSW firefighters are bringing under control an out-of-control bushfire at Old Punt Rd north of Newcastle that has so far burned through more than 230ha of bushland only a few hours from the outskirts of Sydney.

Emergency services deployed thermal cameras on Wednesday to identify hotspots to be “mopped up and blacked out”, while crews continued to work to strengthen containment lines on the fireground.

At least 40 bushfires and grass fires were burning across NSW as of Wednesday morning.