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

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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.

00:38We'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.

00:58Bringing 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.

01:15Changing conditions have resulted in a shift in that approach

01:19and now we're seeing an average season or above average season.

01:24Since 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.

01:34I 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.

01:46Thank you, ma'am.