Grass fires and heavy storms pose the biggest threats to Canberra as the official fire season begins.
Emergency services are expecting an average bushfire season this year, but are urging people to plan ahead and not to be complacent.
ACT Rural Fire Service chief officer Rohan Scott said the bushfire season opened on October 1 and would end on March 31, unless conditions require it to be extended.
"The seasonal outlook for spring is for an average fire season. We have had a dry winter, but we've still got good fuel moisture content up in the higher country," Mr Scott said.
"Our biggest concern this year is going to be from grass fires. We'll get spring growth. Those grasses will start to cure. Grass fires can develop and move very quickly, particularly under a wind driven environment.
"So now we're asking the community, now is the time to start to prepare yourself and your property."
New warning system
This year people will get text messages on their phones with advice on bushfire, floods and heatwaves near their area, Emergency Services Agency Commissioner Wayne Philips said.
"We'll be able to really target that down our individual suburbs to nuance and get the best information to our people and to Canberrans this year," Mr Phillips said.
"If you're in that area, even visiting, you'll get that message as well."
Fire and emergency services are now using a consistent approach to warnings across Australia.
Hazards are classified as advice (yellow) if there is no immediate danger, watch and act (orange) if people need to start acting and emergency warning (red) if there is a life-threatening risk.
The Bureau of Meteorology long-range forecast for October to December shows most of Australia will be facing a warmer and wetter than median conditions.
While the outlook was for an average fire season, Mr Scott said the Rural Fire Service members were prepared for anything to happen.
"We look at every season as a worst-case scenario, and we are declaring it average, but the volunteers are prepared."
Prepare for storms
ACT SES acting chief officer Steve Forbes said there could be more frequent storms than average across the Territory this summer.
"Canberra, now is the time to prepare for storms," Mr Forbes said.
"Secure loose items around the yard, trim your branches that may be loose hanging, and get any repairs that you might not have finished off from the last rainy periods."
He said last year there were more than 2300 call outs last season keeping volunteers very busy. Sixty new volunteers have joined the ACT SES this year.
Mr Forbes said the volunteers were able to assist with temporary repairs in an emergency, but residents should organise major repairs through their insurer or property owner.
For more information on how to prepare for the fire and storm season, visit www.esa.act.gov.au.
