The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has issued a new Condition Orange ‘High Fire Risk’ in all areas where hazardous fuels exist, on account of the preceding drought conditions.
The previous ‘Extreme Fire Risk’ condition is now likely to be moderated on a localised basis by scattered light rain, cooler temperatures and higher ambient humidity levels in many areas.
However, an increase in fire risk values is very likely as the week progresses, the department warns.
High levels of fuels curing arising during the recent drought spell and persistent high Soil Moisture Deficits means that a protracted high fire risk is likely to persist in many areas, pending significant rainfall.
Soil moisture deficits are now above 90mm in several eastern areas, indicating continued reduced water availability to vegetation on all soil types – particularly shallow rooting vegetation, and lower live fuel moisture contents in key high fire risk vegetation types.
These deficits and effects are likely to be significantly higher on peat soils and on well-drained soil types.
Current soil moisture deficits can be expected to continue to increase steadily in the absence of significant rainfall, and advanced grass curing is now evident in many areas as a consequence of this.
Increased attention and effort will be required to achieve complete mop-up of smouldering material following fires on this basis.