Our state is likely to experience an early start to the fire season this year, Tasmania Fire Service has warned.
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In fact, that could mean Tasmanians need to be prepared for bushfires by mid-September.
It comes as the Bushfire and Natural Hazard Cooperative Research Centre released its Southern Australian Seasonal Bushfire Outlook on Tuesday.
The outlook revealed that the East Coast, the Derwent Valley and the South-East corner of the state had an “above normal fire potential”, while the rest of the state had “normal fire potential”.
It has been a dry year for Tasmania, with below average rainfalls and soil moisture levels across much of the state.
Speaking about the devastating bushfires Tasmania had endured in recent years, Tasmania Fire Service Acting Deputy Chief Jeff Harper said it was possible history could repeat itself.
“The potential is there,” he said.
“Tasmania is a bushfire prone area, and it is normal for us to experience significant fires.
“What’s important is that we use this information released today to plan and prepare for this.”
The TFS will be holding briefings over the next few months in preparation for bushfire season, as well as holding statewide exercises.
Over the last three years, the TFS has conducted roughly 400 fuel reduction burns.
Bureau of Meteorology acting state manager Simon McCulloch said an easterly system with lots of rain could alter our bushfire outlook.
“One event could actually change things quite a bit,” he said.
But, while he said such an event was within the realms of possibility, Mr McCulloch stressed that it would be “unlikely” to occur.
Acting Deputy Chief Harper urged Tasmanians to visit the TFS website, where bushfire protection plans and bushfire survival plans were available.
He said it was important that the community knew their bushfire risk, and planned accordingly.
Fire and Emergency Management Minister Rene Hidding welcomed the news that most of Tasmania would experience “normal fire potential” this summer.
“But we know more needs to be done to make Tasmania an even safer place to live,” he said.
Both the Australian Firefighters Climate Alliance and the Climate Council said global warming was a significant factor in the forecast for the looming bushfire season.
AFCA spokesman Jim Casey said climate change was the “root cause” of worsening bushfire conditions, and that things were only going to get worse.
“Combating climate change will save heartache,” he said.
