Australia faces heightened bushfire threat as El Niño gets set to fan flames

Official forecast for 2015-16 bushfire season identifies most of Victoria and NSW as under heightened risk as El Nino dries areas out

Vast areas of eastern, southern and western Australia are set to experience worse than normal bushfire conditions this summer, with the developing El Nino expected to significantly exacerbate fire-prone weather.

An official forecast of the 2015-16 bushfire season, compiled by the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC, has identified almost all of Victoria and New South Wales, including Sydney and Melbourne, as having "above normal" bushfire conditions.