High fuel loads, dry conditions, and the Australian alert for an El Nino event have ACT fire authorities "strongly" urging residents to review and update survival plans.
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The territory update comes as the Australasian Fire Authorities Council meeting in Brisbane, the meeting of the fire chiefs, warns that large parts of Queensland, NSW, the Northern Territory, and parts of Victoria and South Australia have an increased risk of significant bushfires this spring.
The ACT is just south of a large are marked as "increased risk of fire" for spring, but there is the potential for "elevated fires" in the territory into the summer.
![Volunteer RFS firefighters from left, Martin Greenwood, Sean Blunt and Rod Channon and ACT Rural Fire Service Chief Officer Rohan Scott. Picture by Karleen Minney Volunteer RFS firefighters from left, Martin Greenwood, Sean Blunt and Rod Channon and ACT Rural Fire Service Chief Officer Rohan Scott. Picture by Karleen Minney](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/128375134/5d1600aa-bd98-4a58-999b-77857686a806.jpg/r0_218_4256_2611_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
ACT Rural Fire Service Chief Officer Rohan Scott regards the ACT as having an "average fire potential" after a dry winter, however, earlier rainfall has led to good water catchment.
"The forecast for higher-than-average temperatures both day and night and a drier spring period could see us in elevated fires into the summer, but that will be monitored as we look at fuel loads and the like," Mr Scott told reporters.
"Mitigation activities are continuing both with the Rural Fire Service and our land managers.
"Some of those conditions and those mitigation activities are weather dependent, but we are constantly monitoring the risk that is available, and we're trying to mitigate any of those potential fire runs as we can."
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The Fire Authorities Council says recent years of rainfall have encouraged excessive vegetation growth through the current high-risk areas, especially grass.
The Rural Fire Service is "strongly encouraging" ACT residents to "download your survival plan or renew your current plan."
![The Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for Spring 2023 from the National Council for Fire and Emergency Services The Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for Spring 2023 from the National Council for Fire and Emergency Services](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/128375134/2902ea67-4f95-4564-b300-efd1a5e27151.png/r0_0_1342_671_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"This plan is not only for fire, but it's also for storm and flood," the Chief Officer said.
"Please go to the ESA website and download that and make sure you have that available before the start of the severe weather season."
Minister for Emergency Management, Murray Watt points to the high-risk fire areas also being some areas that had recently experienced floods.
"After a few seasons of intense rainfall and floods, we know that there will be a lot of stress for communities," Senator Watt said in a statement.
"The Albanese government, through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has been working closely with state and territory services to plan for the coming fire season, assessing capability and working to streamline response efforts.
"We stand ready to help whenever and wherever needed."
Preparedness activities have commenced based on recommendations from the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements, including an additional National Large Air Tanker and a new fire danger rating system.
"We have also begun building a national stockpile of items that are needed in disasters, like emergency accommodation, backup generators, food and water, as we continue to do what we can to be as ready as possible," the Minister said.