November 1 is traditionally the date to begin restrictions on burning, but widespread flooding had reduced the immediate risk of fire.

RFS Southern Border operational services coordinator Margaret Wehner said very little of the long grass had cured enough to be a fire risk.

“We’re not anticipating having a threat until December,” she said. “Of course, it could change dramatically.”

The RFS prediction was for a shorter fire season, but grass growth caused by heavy rain could make fires hotter and more unpredictable.

“If we get fires, they’re going to be quite more volatile,” Ms Wehner said. 

“Our biggest problem at the moment is not a fire threat, but if we did have a fire, how would we get there?

“It’s easy for machinery to get bogged.”

CFA District 24 operations officer Brett Myers said firefighters may let paddock fire burns, as long as they were contained and did not threatening lives or homes, rather than risk getting a truck stuck on the muddy ground.

Officers met with police, councils and parks representatives on Monday to discuss the fire season.

Last December, Victorian emergency services were flat out fighting the Indigo Valley fires, but the summer threat will this year be pushed back to January and February.

Mr Myers said that could mean an official season start closer to Christmas.

“Given how wet and green it is, we haven’t even started that conversation,” he said.

The Southern border team will ask the RFS commissioner to make the rare call to delay fire restrictions, allowing residents to burn fuel at their properties when they finally dry out from floods.

The flooding may have delayed fires, but it has brought out the snakes.

Albury’s John Milosta spotted brown, black and red-bellied black snakes near his Doctors Point Road home.

The dangerous creatures were enjoying the long grass in the area, but also made their way up to the road.

“The flood waters push the snakes out and now it’s gone down, they’re out hunting,” Mr Milosta said.

“You don’t want to get bit by one of those.”