TRANSCRIPT
The magnitude of the 2019 and 2020 bushfires, better known as the Black Summer bushfires, was felt nationwide.
Thirty-four people, including seven firefighters, were killed in the devastating fires - the worst the nation had seen in decades.
The mental trauma lingers for communities affected - and now experts are warning Australia could confront more bushfires this summer.
Robb Web is from the Australian and New Zealand National Council for Fire and Emergency Services, or AFAC.
"There's nothing to suggest that we would see a season like that. That was incredibly intense of how wide it spread, and how long that season went for. But we all know it only takes one fire to ruin a summer."
Dr Graham Dwyer is from the Faculty of Business and Economics at the University of Melbourne.
He is a part of a research team of academics from the University of Melbourne, the University of New South Wales and the University of Queensland who spoke to 62 members of emergency service organisations, government representatives and bushfire experts over the last couple of years.
Dr Dwyer says it is at the local level where fires have had their most devastating and deadly impact. The study suggests that experts and history remind us of one certainty - that it is bound to happen again.
"We need to accept that the bushfires will continue to happen. Australia is an extremely bushfire prone landscape with its topography high flammable vegetation and frequent exposure to extremely hot, dry windy weather."
Former New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian addressed the media in August 2020 to discuss the catalyst for the bushfires.
"There were unprecedented conditions, coupled with the drought, coupled with some fuel loads in some areas, but moreover the climate is changing."
Dr Dwyer says that as summer approaches it will be a good time for communities to reflect on how they can plan and prepare for the bushfire season ahead.
"What we found in our studies is that communities have much more capacity and capability available to them than they might realise in terms of making a plan. And that's available predominantly from fire agency websites and they can also find a lot of information from local level emergency services and their local council."
He stresses the local level is often overlooked.
"We always find that the media captures the drama of a lot of these megafires and the political fallout. But it is also forgotten that it is at the local level where fires have had the most devastating impact."
Caitlin Minney is a climatologist with the Bureau of Meteorology. She talks about the bushfire rating system they have in place, saying it's a reliable source of information.
"The bureau is a great place to get warning information, and one of Australia's most trusted sources. And uses the bushfire information to provide regular forecast and warnings about the likely severity of not only bushfires but other severe weather."
She says it will be warmer and wetter across the nation next month.
"The following month would be November. And we're expecting it to be warmer than average across most of Australia for both maximum and minimum temperatures. So rainfall for the month of November, it is likely to be wetter than average for Queensland and Northern New South Wales, but for most of Australia the typical seasonal range of rainfall for November would be the best guide."
Ms Minney says it is crucial for people to review their bushfire plans and make sure they know where they are accessing information.
"With the bureau issuing regular forecasts and warnings for the severe weather season, and as well as knowing their local emergency authority, going to them for more advice on how to prepare, making sure they stay informed about the fire risk. Fire agencies will be releasing the summer bushfire outlook towards the end of November."
Robb Web is from AFAC.
He says one of the hardest things to make about any communication or threat across Australia is trying to make it local enough for communities as people want to learn more and also as conditions change.
"For the spring season, the way we get together with the experts from the Bureau of Meteorology from fire services across Australia to pull together the very latest in fuel conditions - the state of grass and bushlands but also the climate outlook from the Bureau and the rain around the temperature conditions. At this stage they were looking for the spring season at least probably a stronger than normal fire season across much of the Northern Territory into Queensland because of recent grassland growth through the winter, there were some winter rainfalls that saw lots of grass growth and that was set to dry off."
Dr Graham Dwyer from the University of Melbourne stresses it is important for individuals and families to have a plan in place, saying the conversations need to start in households.
He says if somebody is living alone they should reach out to their communities and neighbours.
Dr Dwyer warns that awareness is necessary, as there may be people living in bush prone areas.
"It's important to remember that just because the government has allowed people to build in certain areas, certain bushfire prone areas it doesn't mean that they are safe. Amber attacks have had a very devastating effect on properties in rural and outer suburban areas."
He discusses the logic of staying and defending your property and leaving early before the fire arrives.
Dr Dwyer says leaving too late could mean that you could get caught trying to outrun a fire, adding that the planning and preparation is a crucial process.
"Planning and preparing can be done through a very straightforward 3-simple step approach. And those three steps are - what should be done in preparation for a fire. What can you do during a fire. And how do you cope afterwards."
He implores people to do their thorough research online and access agency material accessible.
They will then be able to consider the bushfire risk and the complexity that surrounds the decision whether people should stay or leave their homes.
Caitlin Minney says people should be prepared for extreme weather events.
"It only takes one heatwave to dry out those grassy fuels and rapidly increase the fire danger ratings. While it's difficult to speak on whether this season will resemble 2019 or 2020 we're not seeing the conditions in the lead up that resemble that fire season, however in a warming climate we are likely to see more extreme weather events including more severe fire weather increasing the risk of bushfires in any given season."
She implores people to check their app and local fire services regularly for updates on weather conditions.
Mr Robb Web from the National Council for Fire and Emergency Services says fire authorities around Australia work really hard over the quieter seasons to prepare communities and provide information around protecting people's properties.
"What's really changed in Australia over the last 2-3 years is that the bushfire danger rating system is designed to be simpler and allows for people to take action over the course of summer months."
He says there is nothing to suggest we will experience something like the 2019 or 2020 bushfires, but added it only takes one fire to ruin a summer.
