The ACT has an above normal risk of grass fires this season, but the country is set to have a wetter than average summer.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Australian Seasonal Bushfire Outlook, released on Thursday, found recent rainfall had allowed grassland to thrive ahead of summer leaving the ACT at above normal risk of grass fires.
While the grass was currently too damp to burn in a high-risk way that was expected to change in the next couple of months.
"While November and December is the normal time for annual grasses to set seed and then die off, this season may instead see second round of flowering, increasing the growth and therefore grass fire risk once the grass dries," the report read.
It said bushland was too damp for large bushfires to spark and it was expected to remain that way for some time, but the Emergency Services Agency would alert the community as they started to dry out.
"ACT residents need to review their bushfire plans with a particular focus on grass fire risk, and to manage grasses near their property to prevent potential impacts fast-running grass fires," the report stated.
ACT Parks and Conservation Service said a wood pile burn across 3.75 hectares of Jerrabomberra Wetlands would start on Thursday to reduce fire hazards.
There will also be a burn at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve of eucalypt and wattle debris.
Parks fire managers will oversee the operation and say although efforts are made to minimise smoke impact, some smoke haze is possible across some parts of Canberra.
"As part of managing the prescribed burn to its conclusion, a buffer zone of up to 20 metres is also created around the complete perimeter of each prescribed burn," ACT Parks and Conservation said in a statement.
They said people with asthma and other chronic respiratory or cardiac diseases, should not perform vigorous exercise and should stay inside if affected by the smoke.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Meteorology said Australia was in for a wetter than normal summer which means an increased risk of flooding and longer, more humid heatwaves.
Head of operational climate services Andrew Watkins said the outlook was the opposite of last year, and although the risk of fires wasn't as high, they would still happen this season.
He said the La Nina event was expected to remain until the start of Autumn.
There is the chance of above average temperatures along the coast and parts of the south-east and much of Australia would experience above average rainfall.
Although the risk of fires is lower than previous years, Dr Watkins said recent rain had given grass a chance to flourish and grass fires would be a concern.
"Those areas that experienced bushfires last summer tend to have less vegetation than other areas," he said.
"We are concerned about increased risk of flash flooding and also the increased risk of heavy erosion events or even landslips where that vegetation isn't there."
Dr Watkins said extreme heatwaves were less likely during the La Nina event due to wet soil and cloudier skies.
"Every summer we see heatwaves across southern Australia. These summer heatwaves may not reach the extreme temperatures of recent years, but may be longer duration and more humid, which can still have a significant impact on human health," he said.
"Daytime temperatures in summer are likely to be near average, but there will be periods of high heat combined with milder periods."
For faster access to the latest Canberra news, download The Canberra Times app for iOS and Android.