The outlook for spring was of a higher likelihood of fires with a twice the normal chance of an El Nino for summer.

Many parts of eastern Australia including Queensland, New South Wales and Gippsland, in Victoria, were already in drought.

[2] Authorities in New South Wales brought forward the start of the bushfire season for much of the state from October 2018 to the beginning of August 2018.

[3] On 15 August, a bushfire near Bega burned out 2,300 ha (5,700 acres) of inaccessible bushland and threatened properties.

[4] A firefighter named Alan Tully died on 17 August when his helicopter crashed while combating fires near Ulladulla.

[15] A bushfire, that started on 11 October, approximately 120 km (75 mi) south east of Broome burned through an area of 880,000 ha (2,200,000 acres).