El Nino: North Queenslanders warned of heatwave, bushfire threat

North Queenslanders are being warned to prepare for the increased likelihood of higher temperatures, drought, heatwaves and bushfires in the coming months.

The Australasian Fire Authorities Council has mapped out the danger zones for the Spring 2023 bushfire. Picture: AFAC

North Queenslanders are being warned to prepare for the increased likelihood of higher temperatures, drought and potentially deadly heatwaves and bushfires over spring and into summer.

The Bureau of Meteorology said on Monday that an El Nino was likely, although it officially remained at “alert” status.

BOM senior climatologist Hugh McDowell said its long-range weather forecast “already shows likely to very likely drier than average conditions across Queensland for much of spring and potentially into the start of summer as well”.

“And very likely above median maximum and median temperatures, so hot and mostly drier than average (conditions).”

Mr McDowell said the prevailing conditions would increase the risk of drought and bushfires.

Firefighters struggle to contain bushfires near the NSW town of Nowra in December 2019. Picture: AFP

He said, however, that recent rainfalls meant it was unlikely to mean a “protracted period of drought”.

“The risk of heatwave is going to be increased going into late spring and into summer particularly, starting in northern parts of Queensland,” he said.

“Heatwaves are the biggest natural killer in Australia so it’s something we should be prepared for, people should be planning for an increased risk of that.”

Mr McDowell said North Queenslanders should also be prepared for the increased risk of bushfires.

“If you have bushfire plans put them in place. If you are in an area that is quite susceptible to bushfire then think about your bushfire plans.”

He said despite the forecast, it was also important to remember the threat of “severe storms” and potential flooding.

“Although we are seeing a drier outlook, it doesn’t mean these things can’t occur – we’re going into the hazardous weather season, it’s just important to be prepared.”

Mr McDowell said the “silver lining” was that there was also likely to be a reduced chance of cyclones as well as large-scale flooding events.

“The flood risk has been assessed as average, which is much lower than it was this time last year and the year before.”

Originally published as El Nino: North Queenslanders warned of heatwave, bushfire threat