Longer wet a threat for fire season

AN EXTENDED wet season has regional firefighters anticipating another busy bushfire season.

They are urging residents, particularly rural property owners, to make earlier than usual preparations, with an abundance of foliage providing a natural tinderbox.

Rural Fire Service Townsville Area Director Inspector Mick Thomson warned i t was time to clear fire breaks, l ong grasses and ensure properties were easily i denti fied and accessed.

He said it was impossible for firefighters to reach every property and bushfire preparation and survival plans should be finalised before the first embers burst into flames.

Insp Thomson said a com- mon misconception was that greenery didn’t burn.

He said the radiant heat of a bushfire was often strong enough to dry out the greener foliage higher up, providing more fuel for the blaze.

“These fires can start if the conditions are right even if the foliage does have a lot of green,” Insp Thomson said.

Insp Thomson said cattle and other livestock were often effective at keeping down potential fuel loads but paddocks not used for feed could become bushfire hot spots.

He said bushfire season was usually from April until around October- November, but varied depending on the weather patterns of a particular year.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Harry Clark said the May- July outlook indicated a potentially warmer than usual May and a cooler June.

He said generally it was a drier period than normal but there were no strong indicators this winter would be particularly wet or dry.

Mr Clark said it was still too far away to forecast for late winter and spring, which he said was usually peak bushfire time.

Insp Thomson reminded landowners it was their legal responsibility to manage fuel loads on their property and urged landowners to get their free permits to conduct hazard reduction burns.