Bushfire season forecast across Australia

HOW THE BUSHFIRE SEASON IS SHAPING UP ACROSS AUSTRALIA

QUEENSLAND:

* Fire season has started early and also expected to last longer

* Expecting some significant fires and fire activity from Rockhampton to the NSW border

* Darling Downs and Granite Belt face severe water shortages due to drought, which poses challenges to supply of water for fire suppression

* 2018/19 was a record fire season, with unprecedented catastrophic conditions

NSW:

* Also already experienced a number of large running fires: 1500 so far this month

* Early start to 2019/20 fire season in many local government areas in NSW

* Fire agencies also have to plan for firefighting tactics that minimise use of water

* Potential for above normal fire season in forested areas on and east of the Great Dividing Range, amid expected warmer and drier than average conditions across most of the state

VICTORIA:

* Potential for above normal bushfire activity across East Gippsland, West Gippsland and the Great Dividing Range, after third consecutive year of low rainfall

* Likely to be protracted fires like last year

* Mostly normal bushfire activity expected across rest of Victoria

TASMANIA:

* Large-scale fires expected on east coast - lack of rain means above average fire potential there

* Early start to fire season predicted for east coast

* Normal fire season expected in remainder of state

SOUTH AUSTRALIA:

* Kangaroo Island and Eyre Peninsula have above normal fire potential

* Fire season may be prolonged across parts of SA as no forecasts for above average rainfall during spring and summer

* Even in areas of normal fire potential can expect to experience dangerous bushfires as per a normal SA fire season

WESTERN AUSTRALIA:

* Above average fire risk forecast, following three fairly mild seasons

* Includes coastal areas of Pilbara that experienced heavy rainfall from Cyclone Veronica in March

ACT:

* Overall bushfire risk above normal

* In second year of drought - lowland forests are dry, creating risks early in fire season

NORTHERN TERRITORY:

* Normal bushfire potential.

Source: Australian Seasonal Bushfire Outlook and state fire chiefs