Northern Australia Seasonal Bushfire Assessment 2012 released

The Northern Australia Seasonal Bushfire Assessment 2012 has been released as a Bushfire CRC Fire Note. Visit the Fire Note page to see the Assessment.

Summary:

Large areas of Northern Australia will face above-normal fire potential for the 2012-13 fire season, despite the extensive fires in some parts of the region last season. Significant areas of land were not burnt last year so the fire potential in these areas remains above-normal, largely because of the widespread vegetation growth in many areas fuelled by the wet weather that accompanied the strong La Niña events of 2010 and 2011.

In Western Australia, there are a number of areas that have above-average potential in the Kimberly, Pilbara and Northern Goldfields, with fuel loads remaining significant due to high rainfall.

The Top End, Gulf Region and south west of the Northern Territory can expect above-normal bushfire potential thanks to above-average rainfall and limited fire mitigation opportunities.

Queensland faces above-average fire risk in the central west due to high grass fuel loads.

The Assessment is an output from the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre which brings together fire managers from across Australia each year to discuss fire potential across the country.