RELENTLESS wet weather has left firefighters "frustrated" and "far behind" in hazard reduction work as the Hunter braces for what could be a dangerous bushfire season.
The country's fire chiefs have released the fire outlook for the season ahead which shows large parts of NSW, including the east coast, are facing increased risk of spring bushfires and an early start to the danger period.
Areas of Newcastle and the Hunter that escaped the Black Summer bushfires of 2019-20 are of particular concern to the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS), spokeswoman Angela Burford said.
"There are patches that were completely untouched with very heavy fuel loads which pose a risk in terms of bushfires, so it's not just grassfires that are a risk this year," she said.
"Other factors at play for the Newcastle and Hunter is the fact that we are quite far behind in our hazard reduction burns, the wet weather brought a lot of growth with it which has hindered our work.
"We're not where we'd like to be, and that's frustrating for us and the volunteers to not be able to do that work because it has been too wet."
Ms Burford said the RFS has tried to think outside the box in terms of mitigation strategies where it can, taking any window of opportunity in the last two months to reduce fuel loads.
"We're still doing that and we will be moving into spring, but when it's too hot and windy it becomes unsafe," she said.
The bushfire outlook is produced by the Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council, which represents the country's fire and emergency services.
One of the biggest threats this season will be fast-moving grassfires after three years of wet La Nina conditions propelled growth.
The Bureau of Meteorology has predicted drier and warmer conditions for spring across the country, particularly in southern and eastern Australia.
Ms Burford said now is the time for locals to prepare their Bushfire Survival Plan.
"The concerning news for us is that extensive research shows over the last year, while people have a plan or have had a conversation or written it down, which is essentially the first step, we know people spent far less time taking the steps to prepare themselves and their properties," she said.
"After a couple of years of flooding it's hard to comprehend a fire season at the moment, but as we see it we have 55 fires burning across the state today - not too far north of where we're talking [the Hunter]."
She said while the state is still ahead of the bushfire danger period, locals should take the time to prepare a Bushfire Survival Plan if they haven't already and begin to prepare their homes.
That includes mowing lawns, trimming overhanging trees, clearing out gutters, removing leaves and debris from around the home and ensuring properties are equipped with a hose that reaches right around the house.
For more information on how to get prepared, visit the NSW Rural Fire Service website at https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/plan-and-prepare.
