Australia relaxes in summer, but it's important to stay safe. These emergency warning systems and alerts will help keep you safe and informed.
Australia has always had bushfires but 2019-20 was like nothing the nation had ever seen before.
The fires created unprecedented damage, destroying more than 14 million acres of land, killing more than 20 people and an estimated 1 billion animals.
Key Points
- Three-level Australian warning system was launched on 1 December
- The colour-coded warnings consist of three triangle icons: yellow for ‘Advice’, orange for ‘Watch and Act’ and red for ‘Emergency Warning’.
- Emergency Alert is the national telephone warning system used by emergency services to send voice messages to landlines and text messages to mobile phones about likely or actual emergencies.
The bushfire risks this summer are equally high but there are important differences to last year, says Dr. Richard Thornton, CEO of the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre. Bushfire can start through lightning strikes, or carelessness if you like from campfires or from cars parking in long grass or any of those things. That can take people by surprise.
In the aftermath of last summer’s devastating bushfires, a Disaster Royal Commission looked at Australia's planning for, and response to, all extreme weather events.
Among its recommendations, the commission called for state and territory governments to roll out an "all-hazard Australian warning system".
As a result, a new Australian Warning System was developed by the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC) and has been in operation since the beginning of December.
For up-to-date information about emergencies from around Australia, along with advice to protect you and your property go to ABC Emergency.
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