Weather conditions influence the size, intensity, speed and predictability of bushfires, and how dangerous they can be to the community.
While bushfires can happen at any time of the year, the time of peak bushfire activity varies across Australia with the changes in the seasonal weather patterns. For northern Australia, the peak bushfire period is during the dry season which is generally throughout winter and spring and for Southern Australia the bushfire season peaks in Summer and Autumn. While these are traditional peaks of the bushfire season, local conditions can drive dangerous bushfire activity at any time. When the weather is hot, the humidity is low and there's been little recent rain, vegetation dries out and becomes more flammable. Vegetation growth can be encouraged by periods of wet weather, increasing the amount of fuel and future bushfire risk when the weather is dry.
Strong gusty winds help fan the flames and cause a fire to spread faster across the landscape, reducing the time you have to prepare. Above the fire, strong winds can carry hot embers long distances. These can start spot fires many kilometres ahead of the main fire front. A change in wind direction can bring a period of dangerous bushfire activity. This is often seen as a trough or cold front – also known as a cool change – shifting the direction of the wind, altering the course of the fire and broadening the fire front. Lightning produced by thunderstorms can ignite bushfires.
Large fires can also create their own thunderstorms known as pyrocumulonimbus, they can cause erratic more intense and dangerous bushfire behaviour.
The Bureau issues fire weather warnings when forecast weather conditions are likely to be dangerous. We work closely with emergency services around the country to keep the community informed. The Bureau and emergency services use four fire danger ratings to communicate the level of bushfire risk. The higher the rating, the more dangerous the conditions are likely to be. At higher ratings any fire that starts will likely to be fast moving and difficult to control. No matter what the forecast fire rating, if you live in or traveling to an area that could be affected by bushfire, you need to have a bushfire plan in place so you know what to do if a bushfire starts. On a day when dangerous bushfire activity is more likely, stay in touch with your local fire agency and emergency services via their website and social media and tune in to emergency broadcasters.
Keep up to date with the fire weather warnings by checking the Bureau website, the BOM Weather app, and you can also follow us on Twitter.
While bushfires can happen at any time of the year, the time of peak bushfire activity varies across Australia with the changes in the seasonal weather patterns. For northern Australia, the peak bushfire period is during the dry season which is generally throughout winter and spring and for Southern Australia the bushfire season peaks in Summer and Autumn. While these are traditional peaks of the bushfire season, local conditions can drive dangerous bushfire activity at any time. When the weather is hot, the humidity is low and there's been little recent rain, vegetation dries out and becomes more flammable. Vegetation growth can be encouraged by periods of wet weather, increasing the amount of fuel and future bushfire risk when the weather is dry.
Strong gusty winds help fan the flames and cause a fire to spread faster across the landscape, reducing the time you have to prepare. Above the fire, strong winds can carry hot embers long distances. These can start spot fires many kilometres ahead of the main fire front. A change in wind direction can bring a period of dangerous bushfire activity. This is often seen as a trough or cold front – also known as a cool change – shifting the direction of the wind, altering the course of the fire and broadening the fire front. Lightning produced by thunderstorms can ignite bushfires.
Large fires can also create their own thunderstorms known as pyrocumulonimbus, they can cause erratic more intense and dangerous bushfire behaviour.
The Bureau issues fire weather warnings when forecast weather conditions are likely to be dangerous. We work closely with emergency services around the country to keep the community informed. The Bureau and emergency services use four fire danger ratings to communicate the level of bushfire risk. The higher the rating, the more dangerous the conditions are likely to be. At higher ratings any fire that starts will likely to be fast moving and difficult to control. No matter what the forecast fire rating, if you live in or traveling to an area that could be affected by bushfire, you need to have a bushfire plan in place so you know what to do if a bushfire starts. On a day when dangerous bushfire activity is more likely, stay in touch with your local fire agency and emergency services via their website and social media and tune in to emergency broadcasters.
Keep up to date with the fire weather warnings by checking the Bureau website, the BOM Weather app, and you can also follow us on Twitter.
Understanding fire weather
This video explains the meteorological phenomena that contribute to increased bushfire danger.