Experts warn of dangerous Australia fire season
By DEBORAH SMITH, SCIENCE EDITOR
NSW faces a dangerous bushfire season, with hot, dry spring weather and abundant fuel predicted to result in a higher than average risk of major fires breaking out across the state, scientists have warned. Large swathes of the country, including all of Victoria, also have a greater than normal chance of bushfires this season, according to the Seasonal Bushfire Outlook report released yesterday. Gary Morgan, chief executive of the Bushfire Co-operative Research Centre, said the drought and reduced winter rainfall had contributed to the worrying predictions in the report. The area of southern Australia designated as having above average risk was the largest identified in the four years the centre has produced the outlook, in cooperation with meteorologists and fire managers. ”All the signs indicate it will be a bad fire season,” Mr Morgan said. …
