![Australia's fire and emergency services have released a bushfire outlook for the spring season. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS) Australia's fire and emergency services have released a bushfire outlook for the spring season. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-feed-data/54de6952-ab28-4128-bc43-75d1fb787131.jpg/r0_0_800_600_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
NSW:
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* Large areas of central and northern NSW face an increased fire risk this spring, with fuel loads high and dry conditions ahead
* With plenty of grass in central and northwest regions, there's the prospect of intense fires that spread quickly
* Coastal forests that didn't burn in 2019/20 Black Summer fires are heavy with fuel, particularly around the Sydney Basin, parts of the coast, and north of the Hunter
* The southwest is facing a normal bushfire outlook in spring with soil still moist and fuel yet to dry out but that could change with hot weather and spring growth
VICTORIA:
* Much of central, western and northern Victoria can expect an earlier start to the high-risk fire season with spring tipped to be drier and warmer than usual
* In the east, around Gippsland, a strong drying trend has emerged and there's a higher than normal potential for forests to carry fire
* That's especially true for coastal communities near bush that escaped the Black Summer fires
* Elsewhere in Victoria, the fire risk potential is considered normal
SOUTH AUSTRALIA:
* South Australia faces an above-average fire risk with a relatively hot spring expected
* High rainfall in early winter rapidly switched to below average in July in all but the far northeast
* That's raised expectations of an early start to the fire season, with the fire danger outlook above average across much of the state's southern half
* Danger areas include grasslands in the SA-Victoria border region and Mallee Heath areas in the south, towards the Victorian border
QUEENSLAND:
* Parts of Queensland could see destructive spring bushfires with significant rain driving strong vegetation growth
* There's above-average fire potential in coastal areas of the southeast, inland parts of the Capricornia, Wide Bay-Burnett, and parts of the Southern Downs and Granite Belt
* Decent July rain in central Queensland and the northwest delayed the start of northern Australia's fire season
* But without follow-up rain, there's likely to be increased fire potential in late spring in the northern and central grasslands, timber country and savanna grasslands
ACT:
* There's a normal risk of bushfires in the ACT this spring with catchments still holding lots of water after three very wet years
* But with drier than average and unusually warm conditions forecast for spring, that could mean increased bush and grass fire risks in summer
* Authorities say property owners must use spring to prepare
TASMANIA:
* The bushfire risk is normal for spring
* But the state is heavy with fuel after three wet years and that's likely to increase bushfire intensity and make fire control more difficult
* Winter temperatures have been above average statewide, while rainfall has been below average in some areas
* If anticipated drying trends pan out, grasslands and forests will be available to burn earlier in the season
WESTERN AUSTRALIA:
* Winter rain has been below average in the south of the state, with spring expected to be drier and warmer than average
* That could affect controlled burns to reduce fire risks, and late spring fires could be more difficult to suppress
* In the north rainfall has been above average, meaning an increased risk of fire in the Pilbara is unlikely
NORTHERN TERRITORY:
* As El Nino continues to develop drying conditions are expected across the NT
* There's a normal risk of fires across the Top End, Katherine and Arnhem districts
* But there's concern about fuel loads where invasive gamba grass has encroached on areas south of Darwin and north of Katherine
* Wet soil has made it hard for fire managers to conduct mitigation burns around Darwin, Katherine and the Victoria River region
Source: The Australasian Fire And Emergency Service Authorities Council's Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for spring 2023
Australian Associated Press