Drought and water shortages create severe summer bushfire risk

Fire crews planning suppression tactics that involve minimal water use

Summer bushfires are expected to be “worse than normal” across most of Australia, but many residents in fire-prone areas have not prepared emergency plans to deal with the risks, a national disaster research centre has warned.

The Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre says all states and territories face a high bushfire risk throughout the 2019-20 summer, with many areas now in their third year of drought.