Bushfires: Federal government to stockpile emergency disaster accommodation
The federal government will stockpile portable emergency accommodation ahead of an anticipated hot and dry summer as authorities fear a bad bushfire season this year.
The federal government will stockpile portable emergency accommodation ahead of an anticipated hot and dry summer as authorities fear large swaths of NSW and Queensland will suffer bushfires this season.
Heavy rains over three consecutive La Nina events have fuelled a build-up of fuels such as grass while hampering reduction efforts.
National Emergency Management Agency deputy co-ordinator general emergency management and response Joe Buffone said the commonwealth would deploy the accommodation at the request of states and territories, which are responsible for emergency responses.
“They are portable facilities that can be moved into an area that have a degree of privacy [such as] toilet and bathroom facilities and kitchen sort of areas,” he said.
Mr Buffone, speaking at a disaster preparedness briefing ahead of summer, said talks were underway with manufacturers and the total cost of the accommodation couldn’t be estimated.
The Bureau of Meteorology has declared an El Nino weather event amid prematurely warm and dry conditions this season while a positive Indian Ocean Dipole is also under way.
Both weather events are likely to draw rain away from Australia and increase the chance of below average rainfall and high temperatures.
The period between October and April also carries a raised risk of severe storms and cyclones.
NEMA also supports the positioning of a national large air tanker as well as backing the National Aerial Firefighting Centre position on a national fleet of firefighting aircraft.
Next week, state and territory emergency service chiefs will meet in Canberra to test the nation’s disaster response capabilities and try to identify any gaps.
Authorities are not anticipating a repeat of the devastation of the Black Summer bushfires.
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