The Yass Valley has just experienced one of the wettest winters on record, which has resulted in an abundance of growth. The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) is tipping a hotter and drier than average December, which means the green matter will dry out quickly and provide extra fuel to a fire.

“There is a lot of grass growth around and it is starting to dry out,” Rural Fire Service Zone Manager for the Southern Tablelands, Peter Alley said. “If the dry and warm weather keeps up, we will well and truly be into fire season by Christmas.”

Senior BOM climatologist, Agata Imielska has indicated strong signals for drier and warmer conditions this summer, which can combine to form a perfect storm.

“December is really coming through with broad patterns and a 70 per cent chance of drier conditions. We are also getting strong signals of an 80 per cent chance of warmer temperatures,” Ms Imielska said. “There is a strong probability that we will see extreme weather conditions like heatwaves and high bushfire risks.”

Mr Alley said the local RFS brigades are well prepared to tackle whatever the fire season has in store, but he also urged Yass Valley residents to play their part.

“Everyone needs to be vigilant and make sure they are well prepared now. Make your bushfire plans now. Decide if you will stay or go now.

“Be careful on hot and windy days. Leave the lawnmower and angle grinder and whipper snipper in the shed – they can and will start fires.”

Mr Alley said the risks applied to everyone, including those living in semi-rural housing estates on the fringes of town.

“Keep the grass around your homes low, know your risk and plan and prepare your homes,” he urged.

Grass fires can ignite easily in hot, windy conditions and spread rapidly, causing widespread damage. The region was rocked by the Cobbler Road fire of January 2013, which started under extreme weather conditions and burnt quickly, travelling 35 kilometres and covering 14,000 hectares within six hours. It caused significant damage to farming country and extensive livestock losses.

Bushfire survival plans can be downloaded from the RFS website http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/plan-and-prepare/bush-fire-survival-plan.