The new Rural Fire Service fire danger ratings aim to create a more consistent and easily understandable rating system across the nation.

There are now four levels of danger, instead of six - Moderate, High, Extreme and Catastrophic.

"We've sought to simplify the whole process to make it far easier for the public to understand and to make decisions that are relevant to them and their family or business," said RFS Riverina operations officer Bradley Stewart.

The new ratings are the result of extensive psycho-social research into how people think and react to such messaging.

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The new ratings eliminate the 'low' rating and from now on the needle will only be used if there is a genuine 'moderate ' danger level, indicating it's time to 'plan and prepare'.

"It's like the boy who cried wolf, if you're constantly out that saying 'there's a risk of fire' all the time, people will switch off to it," Mr Stewart said.

The change is also backed by improvements in the ability to better predict areas of greater risk on days of fire danger.

At present there are only a few signs in the local area, at Kapooka and the RAAF base, as well as one at Ardlethan.

But the local RFS team hopes to eventually get electronic signs installed at specific locations across the region, which would then be centrally controlled and provide up to the minute information.

The new rating comes in nationwide from September 1, in time for the Riverina fire season which starts November 1.

Mr Bradley expects this coming season to be similar to the last two years, despite high fuel loads, due to the above average rainfall and below average daily temperatures predicted for the next few months.

"The two seasons we've had since 2019/2020 have been relatively lower in activity, however we did have several ignitions start on a couple of bad days ... but we hit them hard and we hit them fast," he said.

A new fire permit system has not been yet rolled out to reflect the new rating system, although Mr Stewart expects that to be on the way in time for fire season.

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