Australia's east and south faces bad bushfire season after warm, dry winter

Weather experts and rural fire services warn of elevated fire risk in areas of Queensland, NSW, Victoria and SA

Most of the east coast and parts of South Australia are at high risk of bushfire after one of the warmest, driest winters on record, a national conference has warned.

Populated areas of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia have been marked “red” in the 2017 Southern Australia Seasonal Bushfire Outlook.

Related: Weather bureau says Australia set for a dry spring with above average temperatures