Australians face a summer of multiple weather disasters, the national emergency agency warns – with the possibly of floods and heatwaves on top of fires.

Bushfire war gaming is underway in Canberra this week to ensure the nation is as prepared as possible for what emergency agencies predict could be a disastrous summer.

The second day of the National Bushfire Preparedness Summit on Tuesday involved scenarios that emergency services can expect to face this summer. Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said it would “put everyone through their paces”.

“We will put together a hypothetical situation that we might be facing this summer to make sure … everyone is ready for what might be happening,” he said.

“If we identify some gaps in that process, then at least we’ve got time to fix it.”

It came as National Emergency Management Agency head Brendan Moon warned of the possibility of cyclones, floods and heatwaves on top of bushfires.

“We’re very much looking at multiple scenarios impacting different areas,” he said.

This week’s summit follows record September heatwaves and the official declaration by the Bureau of Meteorology last week of a looming El Niño.

The major climate driver in the Pacific Ocean is linked to hot, dry weather, which can increase the risk of bushfires in Australia. It will also increase the likelihood of further record high global temperatures.

It also follows the declaration of catastrophic fire danger days across parts of NSW and extreme days in parts of Queensland last week.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned the collective issues the nation will have to manage will be “enormous”.

“We have a real challenge ahead of us with the summer that is coming,” he said.

“It is … beyond doubt that there’s always more that we can do to prepare, which is why we’re having this summit.”

Forestry Australia President Michelle Freeman said the diaster preparedness event needed to be more than just a “two-day flash in the pan”.

“Being bushfire ready doesn’t happen overnight; it is a 365-day a year job that demands a long-term commitment to evidence-based approaches,” Dr Freeman said.

“Fire must be managed by professionally trained, experienced, and accredited forest managers in partnership with traditional custodians, not just emergency service or defence agencies.”

The summit has brought together 250 representatives from federal, state and territory governments, emergency services experts and non-profit organisations.

The event is also attempting to unite disaster management agencies as parts of Australia prepare for their worst bushfire seasons since the Black Summer fires in 2019/20, which killed 34 people and destroyed more than 2000 homes.

The summit is also examining approaches for vulnerable people, including those living with disabilities and those in Indigenous communities.

-with AAP