In a grim foreboding of the long, hot, dry summer ahead, the ACT has joined New South Wales in declaring a total fire ban on Tuesday.
The ACT's Emergency Services Agency had been waiting on the most recent weather forecast before making the declaration, which will come into effect from midnight on Monday and continue for 24 hours.
Dry conditions will persist across the ACT on Tuesday, with strong, gusty winds and a predicted temperature of 27 degrees.
The forecast fire danger rating is predicted to be very high.
On Tuesday, parts of NSW, including the Greater Sydney, the Greater Hunter and the Illawarra Shoalhaven area will experience the highest "catastrophic" levels of fire danger for the first time since the new rating was introduced.
In a total fire ban, all fire permits are suspended.
No fire may be lit in the open. This includes incinerators and barbecues which burn solid fuel such as charcoal or heat beads.
Only the electric barbecues in Canberra's parks and reserves can be used. All gas barbecues will be turned off.
No general purpose welding, grinding, soldering or gas cutting can be done in the open, and it is an offence to use slashers and harvesting machinery.
The ACT's previous total fire ban declaration was back in late summer on February 12, when the temperature hit 31 degrees.
The ACT and NSW total fire ban is against a backdrop of perilous conditions in parts of the state where three people have been killed and 150 homes destroyed.
In Queensland, there are still 47 fires burning.
One of the biggest international motorsport events in Australia, Rally Australia, is now under significant threat of cancellation after fires raced behind the Coffs Harbour bushland where the event is usually held.
The national section of the event has already been cancelled and the main World Rally Championship portion, in which Canberra driver and current national champion Harry Bates is entered, has already been significantly shortened.
A spokesman for the rally said organisers are watching developments closely as the multi-million dollar factory teams can only sit and wait to see if the event will proceed.
On Monday, as deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack launched an attack against the "disgraceful, disgusting" behaviour of "raving inner-city lunatics" linking climate change to bushfires, the shortening of the time between total fire bans in the ACT is notable.
The earliest reported declaration of a total fire ban in the ACT was in 2013, on October 10. In 2006, during the height of the so-called millenium drought, a ban was declared on 14 October.
