Unseasonably hot weather has killed off wildflowers and heightened the bushfire risk

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nseasonably hot weather has killed off wildflowers and heightened the bushfire risk on Albury's hills.

Amateur ecologist and horticulturalist Paul Scannell said the "very warm" October had taken a toll on native plants on Nail Can Hill.

"I've been wandering around the bush for 25 years and I haven't seen it this dry this early in the season with so few wildflowers," he said.

"I've seen December and January get really hot and really dry and bake the bushland which is what (wildflowers are) used to and they've evolved to become successful in reintroducing themselves into that environment after the autumn rains.

"But this year is just the culmination of a whole lot of different factors, including a really dry October which has caused a real reduction."

Mr Scannell said a lack of natives resulted in fewer seeds, opening the terrain to fire-prone weeds.

Read The Border Mail story - “High temperatures on Border kill off wildflowers, boost fire danger.”