Australians are being urged to be prepared and vigilant, with an increased risk of fire this spring across parts of the country.
The Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council today released its seasonal bushfire outlook for spring.
It identifies a heightened risk of fire across northern and southeastern New South Wales, south-east Queensland, northeastern Tasmania, parts of Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria, and large parts of the Northern Territory.
The outlook combines expert analysis of fuel conditions, rainfall, temperatures and climate forecasts to provide emergency services and communities with an indication of bushfire risk for the season ahead.
Emergency services across the country are undertaking significant planning, training and readiness activities to ensure they are prepared to respond when needed.
The Australian Government continues to work closely with state and territory governments, fire authorities and emergency services to prepare for the higher-risk weather season.
The National Emergency Management Agency will host its annual National Preparedness Summit in Canberra on 9-10 September.
Participants will be briefed by the Bureau of Meteorology on the Long-Range Forecast and NEMA's capabilities and support during the higher-risk weather season.
The Albanese Government has undertaken a range of preparedness and resilience activities since the last higher-risk weather season, including:
- Progressing more than 449 projects through the first three rounds of the Disaster Ready Fund (DRF) with more than $1.1 billion in funding committed by the Australian Government and partners.
- Bringing together partners from across emergency services agencies, community groups, not-for-profit organisations and the private sector for a national preparedness exercise in June.
- Providing funding to build the National Aerial Firefighting Centre to bolster the national aerial firefighting fleet and increase national surge capabilities.
- Delivering AusAlert - a new cell broadcast messaging system, supporting hazard preparedness, emergency response and recovery by sending near-instant alerts to mobile devices and landlines during emergencies.
- Supporting the Northern Australian Fire Information service - a web service used by the majority of land and fire managers in northern and central Australia, including indigenous ranger groups, to manage fire risk.
- Continuing to expand the National Emergency Management Stockpile, ensuring specialist equipment can be rapidly deployed to support states and territories when needed.
- Working closely with international partners to share lessons on wildfire resilience, building standards and evacuation planning.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Emergency Management Kristy McBain
"Compared to this time last year, more areas of Australia face an increased risk of fire for spring, which is why preparation and vigilance are so important.
"Now is the time to prepare, so you and your family know what to do in the event of an emergency.
"Taking simple steps now, such as understanding your local risks, knowing where to get official information and checking in on neighbours, can make a real difference during an emergency.
"The Albanese Government stands ready to support states, territories and local communities when disasters occur, and we will continue working alongside emergency services to help keep Australians safe."
