Western Australia’s south warned to brace for early bushfire season from November, delayed in North West

West Australians have been warned to brace for a dangerous bushfire season that could bring catastrophic fires as early as November. The Department of Fire and Emergency Services has issued a warning for homeowners in the southern half of WA to prepare for a bushfire season that could bring fires usually seen in peak summer months forward. Residents are urged to revisit their fire plans as a surge in dry conditions - combined with a lack of winter rainfall — could result in a string of blazes in the State’s south. On Wednesday Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm said soil in WA’s south is set to rapidly dry causing a dangerous bushfire season to begin in a number of months. “Warm weather and dry fuel mean bushfires in November could escalate quickly and the window for planned burning could close earlier than usual, so people should be looking at doing bushfire mitigation sooner rather than later,” he said. “We do have a soil moisture deficit in the southern half that will see the fire season beginning early, so we’re expecting that there’ll be some rapid onset of drying of the landscape of the vegetation in November and that will lead to an earlier than normal bushfire season commencing,” he said. “Now is the time in the next two months before November comes around . . . We’re encouraging people to get in and get that work done.” The bushfire season is set to have a “delayed onset” in WA’s north after “unprecedented” flooding at the start of the year. “In the Kimberley, that significant unprecedented flooding that occurred in January and February earlier this year, and then that unseasonal rainfall that fell in June has meant that the fire season there will have a delayed onset because of the quantity of moisture in the landscape.” Commissioner Klemm urged people to not be complacent when preparing for the fire season even though last year’s season was “milder” compared to previous years. “The next two months create an ideal window of opportunity to conduct planned burns, clear and prune vegetation, build firebreaks and make your home ember-proof, he said. In February 2021 the Wooroloo bushfire — one of the worst in WA’s history — destroyed 86 homes and more than 10000 hectares. Several bushfires throughout last year’s summer season saw residents across Perth flee their homes as emergency services to the limits. On December 17 a bushfire emergency in Kwinana was issued after a blaze sparked at a Rockingham median strip. About 62 hectares were burnt and luckily no one was injured. Less than two weeks later a bushfire in Chittering saw at least five water bombers battle an inferno after there was a threat to lives and homes. The latest warning by DFES comes after 28 councils across WA received grants from the State Government to help with fire mitigation activities.