Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) says that now is the time to prepare properties for another bushfire season.
The QFES said it had already scheduled more than 120 hazard reduction burns for the greater Brisbane area as part of Operation Cool Burn, an annual initiative that ran in the lead-up to the bushfire season.
Brisbane Regional Manager for the Rural Fire Service (RFS), Wayne Waltisbuhl said weather conditions were favourable to conduct the burns.
“Getting the right conditions is so important – the right weather can be the most critical consideration,” Mr Waltisbuhl said.
“The topography, the amount of fuel and its moisture content are all taken into consideration, plus the wind direction and speed, rainfall in the area, and whether or not relative humidity is greater than 30 per cent.”
He said it was a balancing act: “it must be hot and dry to burn, but not too hot and dry that it is hard to control.”
Mr Waltisbuhl said the intense level of bushfire activity in 2018 and 2019 demonstrated why Brisbane residents in urban areas needed to be well prepared.
“The bushland bordering suburban backyards is rapidly drying out, leaving them exposed to the risk of bushfire,” he said.
“It is not just the significant dry grass matter around the place that’s becoming very parched, but also the leaf drop – most of the roofs are covered in leaves.”
He said it was the responsibility of every landholder to manage the bushfire risk on their property.
“Residents should clear excessive vegetation, create fire breaks, keep gutters clear and where appropriate, conduct permitted burns,” Mr Waltisbuhl said.
“In addition to these steps, residents should regularly mow grass, trim trees and remove flammable materials close to buildings,” he said.
