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Large parts of Australia, including Melbourne, have been warned they face an increased risk of severe bushfires this summer.
The national council for fire and emergency services, AFAC, today released its seasonal bushfire outlook.
It says many areas, particularly in the south of the country, could face a worse-than-usual bushfire season, including greater Melbourne and much of Victoria, the region just south of Adelaide, and a large portion of central Australia.
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There's also a long stretch of the south coast of Western Australia facing increased risk, as well as the southern Carnarvon region on the west coast.
AFAC said the heightened risk reflected high fuel loads and lower-than-average rainfall this year in parts of the country.
"South-western Victoria and parts of WA… have substantial amounts of dry plant material within forests due to longer-term rainfall deficiencies with curing expected to advance earlier than normal," it wrote in its report.
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"Northern Australia broadly received average to above-average rainfall, but southern Australia received below-average rainfall for the cool season and into spring.
"As a result, soil moisture is below average across much of southern and eastern Australia."
There's better news for much of eastern and northern Australia.
Risk levels are at normal levels for the entire east coast and inland Queensland, as well as all of Tasmania, the Kimberley and much of northern WA, and most of South Australia.
However, AFAC warned catastrophic bushfires could still break out in those areas.
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"An increased chance of above-average rainfall this summer is predicted for much of the eastern states, and parts of SA and WA," it wrote.
"Maximum and minimum summer temperatures are likely to… be above average across most jurisdictions.
"Communities are encouraged to be vigilant and stay alert this summer even if in areas of Australia showing normal risk of fire as catastrophic fires can still occur during normal bushfire seasons."
