How this bushfire season will compare to the horror blazes of 2019
Queensland has experienced a reprieve from the howling winds that fuelled fires across the state early this week, but experts warn we’re not yet out of the woods.
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Queensland has experienced a reprieve from the howling winds that fuelled fires across the state early this week, but experts warn we’re not yet out of the woods as strong grass growth poses a threat through the bushfire season.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Deputy Commissioner Mike Wassing said the fire danger rating would increase again to very high for much of the state on Saturday, when temperatures reached 30C in Brisbane.
He said the turbulent weather was typical for the beginning of bushfire season as spring brought fronts and big wind changes.
“The grass is now dry enough to burn and that’s what we saw over the last couple of days, where fires started in dryer grassland areas and ran really quickly,” Mr Wassing said.
“We were able to get on top of those once we had enough trucks and aircraft responding, but under those conditions, the fires will run very quickly.”
Mr Wassing was hopeful this year would be less traumatic than the bushfire season of late 2019, when it’s estimated more than six million hectares burnt across the state.
“2019 was an extended period of drought and much drier and hotter weather, and much drier conditions in terms of relative humidity both going into that season and during that season,” he said.
“What we’ve got this year is what we would call more typical-type Queensland conditions, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have fires.
“While it will be potentially wetter than average, it might be a short and sharp fire season.”
Weather bureau meteorologist Livio Regano said there was a 70 to 80 per cent chance of getting more than median rainfall in the next few months.
“Which is pretty strong odds for something that doesn’t normally swing the seesaw too far either way,” he said.
“What we’re seeing in these next few days, there’s hardly any rain on the forecast at all, doesn’t change the fact that in the longer term the odds are still in favour of more rain than we usually have in spring – which I should add is hardly any at all.”
Mr Wassing said rain ahead of spring had pushed the beginning of the bushfire season out later than in previous years.
But it also meant there was more grass growth.
“That means we have more fuel there available to burn, as it’s drying out and it’s now very close to being fully cured,” Mr Wassing said.
“That’s where our risk areas are and when you combine that more grass, which is now dry, with high winds the fire can move very quickly in those grassland areas.”
Mr Wassing said there was a higher risk for areas with lots of grassland, including through the outskirts of Ipswich, west of South East Queensland and up to parts of central Queensland.
He urged residents to prepare for further fires by cleaning up vegetation and keeping it maintained, and getting to know their neighbours.
“You need to have a plan and part of that plan is whether you’re going to stay or go,” Mr Wassing said.
“The last thing we want is people leaving at the last minute.”
A cool change is expected to move across the Darling Downs on Sunday, reaching the east coast on Monday when temperatures will drop back to below average.
CURRENT TEMPS & 7-DAY FORECASTS
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