Released 27/09/2019
The ACT Government is urging the Canberra community to prepare themselves now ahead of this year's bushfire season.
The official bushfire season for the ACT begins 1 October 2019 and will run through until 31 March 2020 unless conditions warrant an extension.
This bushfire season comes after the ACT experienced its driest winter since 1982. Following less than average rain fall for two years, the Territory is faced with hotter and drier conditions as we head into summer.
Bushfire seasons are expected to become longer and more dangerous into the future as the effects of climate change are felt across Australia.
Now is the best time for Canberrans to prepare. People living in Bushfire Prone Areas should download a Bushfire Survival Plan from the ESA website, fill it in and have a discussion with their family about what they will do in the event of a fire.
Canberrans should also make sure they understand Fire Danger Rating levels to help make decisions when travelling around the ACT. The ESA update ratings daily, which are displayed on electronic signs on all major arterial roads across the ACT, as well as on the ESA website.
The ACT Government has also released the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan Version 4, which plays a key role in emergency preparedness across the Territory.
The plan sets out how bushfire risk is managed in the ACT and is reviewed every five years in consultation with the community and key stakeholders. The latest version focuses on how our emergency services will prepare for increased risks posed by climate change.
You can check if you live in a Bushfire Prone Area, see bushfire danger levels and warnings, get fact sheets and view the new management plan at: www.esa.act.gov.au.
- Statement ends -
Mick Gentleman, MLA | Media Releases
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