Map reveals Australian hotspots at risk of bushfire
Large parts of Australia face higher bushfire risk over summer, as authorities also warn people to be ready for cyclones, floods and heatwaves.
The seasonal bushfire outlook for 2024 was released on Thursday, showing much of southern Australia and remote communities in the Northern Territory need to be prepared.
The outlook map shows heightened threats across WA’s southern coast and roughly half of Victoria.
Australia will potentially have a wetter December and hotter than average summer, National Emergency Management Agency deputy co-ordinator-general Joe Buffone told reporters in Canberra.
“You’re going to hear about cyclones, you’re going to hear about flooding, you’re going to hear about severe weather, you’re going to hear about heatwaves, and in particular, you’re going to hear about the fire risk,” he said.
Despite the threat, he assured authorities were on top of the risk.
“Nationally, we are better prepared than we have ever been, we are connected, we are co-ordinated,” Mr Buffone said.
The federal government has spent $48 million a year on a national aerial fleet.
“For the first time, states and territories will have access to three federally funded heavy lift and multi-use helicopters in addition to the large air tanker,” national Emergency Management Minister Jenny McAllister told reporters.
More money has also been spent on the national stockpile of emergency housing, large generators, water filtration equipment, water pumps and flood barriers.
The north of the country must prepare for tropical cyclones and everyone is warned of heatwaves.
Bureau of Meteorology climate monitoring manager Karl Braganza said a dangerous factor of the heatwaves was the lack relief at night.
“The elevated overnight temperatures can have quite a large impact on health, because you don’t tend to cool off overnight,” he said.
The warmer oceans around the country would increase humidity and cause heavier rainfall, which were already happening, Dr Braganza said.
Five years on from the Black Summer bushfires, Mr Buffone said while the community needed to be vigilant, the 2024 season was not expected to be as extreme.
“If you think about Black Summer, there was 3000 kilometres of fire front on the east coast,” he said.
“It’s unlikely that we’re going to experience something of that sort of significance, but locally and in those areas there is a risk of increased fire.”
At Victorian parliament on Thursday, Gippsland East MP Tim Bull said 47 per cent of his electorate was burnt in the Black Summer bushfires.
He said the government had not done enough to help recovery, with projects incomplete and bush tracks still closed.
“We still have significant amounts of key infrastructure not rebuilt around Mallacoota,” the Nationals MP said.
Mr Bull warned not enough had been done to prepare the community for this summer.
“The old hands from the bush in East Gippsland are all telling me this is the perfect storm,” Mr Bull said.
“We’re on the cusp of summer, summer means thunderstorms, thunderstorms mean lightning strikes and lightning strikes mean fires.”
At a Melbourne media conference, weather bureau meteorologist Keris Arndt said low soil-moisture levels and above-average temperatures should put people on watch for both flash flooding and fires.
“All Victorians and many Australians need to prepare for a multi-hazard event, whether it be bushfire, storm, flash flooding and potential riverine flooding if we get extensive rainfall over an extended period,” he said.
Victorian Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent warned a dry autumn and winter had resulted in higher fuel loads and drier conditions, making it easier for fires to start and run.
Thursday’s warning came as firefighters battled blazes north of Perth, with people at Wedge Island, Grey, Cooljarloo and Nambung told it is too late to leave.
Major bushfires also broke out in Victoria’s west earlier in November.
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