Above normal bushfire risk for the ACT this summer

The ACT can expect an above normal bushfire risk this summer following an assessment of the local landscape and extended weather forecast data.

ACT Emergency Services Agency (ESA) Commissioner Dominic Lane today joined his fire agency colleagues from across the country at the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC) in Sydney for the release of the Southern Seasonal Bushfire Outlook.

“Our upper soils in the ACT are drier than average at the moment after several months of fairly consistent dry weather,” Mr Lane said.

“As the official outlook notes, the forest fuels in the ACT are drier than usual for this time of year. Frost curing of grasslands has been above average over winter and due to the prolonged frost period, a greater than average area has been affected, he said.

“The Bureau of Meteorology advise us to only expect average to slightly above average rainfall to at least November. This means the ACT will not receive enough rain during this period to recover from the lack of rain during the winter months. The outlook for the area immediately surrounding the ACT is the same.”2017_-_004_ESA_Media_Release_-_Above_average_bushfire_risk_in_the_ACT_this_summer