New forecasts for rainfall and temp for Sept to Nov

A new quarterly overview of weather for September to November indicates that South East Queensland is likely to have slightly above average rainfall and a 60-70% chance of above average temperatures during the period.

Have a look here for rainfall: http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/outlooks/#/rainfall/summary
and here for temperature: http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/outlooks/#/temperature/maximum/median/seasonal/0

You can click on each of the small maps at the above links for more detail, and follow various links  to other detailed information.   Maps below are from the above sources.  Note that the main maps at those links are zoomable down to quite local detail - as in the temperature forecast map excerpt below.

Chance of above average rainfall for September to November

Chance of above average temperature for September to November

Landscaping for Bushfire - a very useful guide

From: Landscaping for Bushfire, CFA Victoria, 2011

 It looks like we are at the beginning of a bad bushfire season.  Planning ahead is the only sensible way to help ensure that your house and other infrastructure are as safe as possible from bushfires.

 Landscaping for Bushfire was developed by the Country Fire Authority in response  to Recommendation 44 from the Victorian Bushfires Royal  Commission.

While it is a Victorian publication and the regulations and many of the species referred to are Victorian, those aspects take up only a small part of what is covered.  The document provides a very useful reference on the principles of landscaping for bushfire protection and also offers a lot of useful suggestions.

I highly recommend it for anyone in the Lockyer Valley Region, or anywhere for that matter.

Stay safe.

when it comes to bushfires, we are all neighbours