UNDERGROWTH fuel loads are not as bad as previous years but drier and hotter conditions are expected with an El Nino summer as firefighters prepare for bushfires.
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Fire authorities agree there is greater wildfire susceptibility after a damp winter stopped forests drying out enough for fire crews to complete their planned March to August hazard reduction burns.
However NSW and ACT Rural Fire Services and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service brigades are monitoring the weather daily as spring approaches and say they will take every opportunity through the week and on weekends.
"Fuel loads are not as high but spring could be a good growing season, the moist bush could dry out very quickly and there could be a summer bushfire threat," said RFS Lake George brigade district manager Tim Carroll.
A cross border meeting of the agencies was scheduled for this week to talk about plans for summer.
All three agencies are also about to conduct their fire preparedness days to check equipment, go through firefighting procedures, discuss weather expectations based on forecasts and conditions, analyse recent research from previous fires that suggests better ways to operate, and do helicopter refresher training and staff fitness.
Lake George RFS which covers Queanbeyan region plans hazard reduction over small areas, a total of 500 hectares, but will focus on strategic assets - houses and other buildings in suburban and village areas and protection of rural stock.
Immediately their targets are Mount Jerrabomberra, Wamboin, Fox's Elbow off the Kings Highway and Nerriga.
NPWS completed three hazard reduction burns totalling 1400 hectares in Brindabella National Park during autumn and a small 10ha burn to protect buildings adjacent Cuumbeun Nature Reserve.
ACT RFS annually manages several thousand hectares around the city by small burns, strategic grazing and slashing to protect buildings and environmental assets.
Each firefighting service stresses the enormous value in fire prone areas of developing a bushfire survival plan and sticking to it.
Importantly, they say get onto their website as a first point of contact early in the season to think through preparations, to avoid jamming their phone lines when a fire starts.