Australia facing increased risk of fires due to long-term dryness

Authorities are warning long-term dryness means parts of Australia is facing an increased risk of fires. The National Council for Fire and Emergency Services has listed some communities in WA and NSW to be the worst affected. Prepare now and don't delay. That's the message being emphasised by emergency services as bushfire season begins. We clearly understand that we are going to see challenges from bushfires, from tropical cyclones, from floods, from storms. So the message really is to ensure that you understand the risk that you face in your neighbourhood. The latest seasonal bushfire outlook has highlighted an increased risk of fires in southern Western Australia and northern and central NSW. As the Bureau of Meteorology forecasts hotter-than-average temperatures this summer, preventative steps which could save lives and homes have been reiterated. Cleaning out your gutters, making sure the entrance to your home is accessible, preparing an evacuation kit and communicating your fire plan to your family and neighbours. Most families in the Winmalee fires had no-one at home, they had no-one to get anything and they were left with literally the clothes they were wearing. But it's also hard to make those decisions on the run in the middle of a crisis. Much better to have had a bit of a think about it and how it might work. Less rainfall has been cited as the reason for the increased bushfire risk potential. The Federal Government says it's doing everything it can to prepare for extreme weather events. A Government we are preparing each and every year for the high-risk weather season by these big investments and including investments in our Disaster Ready Fund which is looking at risk reduction in communities, looking at community preparedness. Kira Hayne, Sky News.