Fire authorities warn of potential above-average bushfire activity this season

ABC NEWS (Australia)

With summer fast approaching, fire authorities are reminding people to prepare their properties and plan ahead. The state's newly appointed fire chief says we could experience average to above average bush fire activity this season, with wet weather earlier this year leading to higher fuel loads.

Transcript

00:00Life saving drones, remote satellites, even AI powered fire detection.

00:09This state of the art technology could be key to battling fast moving bushfires.

00:15We've got systems now where we can, at the click of a button,

00:18undertake a fire prediction model that's extremely accurate.

00:22After months of prolonged rain and devastating floods,

00:26bushfire season is far from people's minds.

00:29But the Rural Fire Service is warning this summer may see increased fire activity,

00:35particularly in the state's west.

00:37We've seen a lot of growth in grass areas

00:40and that growth, once it dries out with only a couple of days of hot, dry weather,

00:45will be quite a high fire risk for our communities.

00:48The Weather Bureau had predicted a wet summer for New South Wales,

00:52but a rare weather event known as a sudden stratospheric warming

00:56has been disrupting weather patterns, bringing hot, dry and windy conditions.

01:02Earlier this month, this season's first emergency warning was issued for a blaze in the northern rivers.

01:08The state's newly appointed commissioner, Trent Curtin, says it could be a sign of what's to come.

01:14Changing conditions have resulted in a shift in that approach

01:18and now we're seeing an average season or above average season.

01:23Since Black Summer six years ago, the service has invested heavily in new tech,

01:29but authorities are concerned it's complacency that could be lethal.

01:33I just want to make sure that our community remember that bushfires can be very serious,

01:39they can be very dangerous and they can happen really quickly.

01:42A warning from the top boss as the temperature starts to dial up.

01:46Click and click and click button!

02:07Click and click and click.

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