MELBOURNE, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Every Australian state is facing an increased risk of bushfires in parts during the upcoming spring as a result of dry conditions and large fuel loads, the peak body for fire services has warned.
The Australian and New Zealand National Council for Fire and Emergency Services (AFAC) on Wednesday released its seasonal bushfire outlook for spring, forecasting an increased risk of fire in parts of all six states as well as the Northern Territory.
It said that below-average rainfall in eastern Australia and above-average fuel loads in western, central and northern Australia have driven the heightened risk.
"The variety of risk factors across different regions reinforces the need for communities to understand their local conditions and prepare early," Rob Webb, chief executive officer of AFAC, said in a media release.
"Communities are encouraged to stay informed, monitor local conditions and follow advice from their fire and emergency services as the season unfolds," the release said.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) in June officially declared that a strong El Nino event is underway in the tropical Pacific Ocean, warning at the time that the phenomenon often brings hotter and drier conditions to Australia.
The latest update released by the BoM on Aug. 11 warned that forecasts are pointing towards a very strong El Nino event, with the tropical Pacific expected to continue warming through the southern hemisphere spring.
It said that the El Nino event is expected to persist into the southern autumn of 2027. ■