Climate-Powered Bushfires – Should We Change How We Live?
As climate change drives more frequent and intense bushfires, Australians must rethink how and where we live. Recent fires across the country highlight the urgent need to adapt to an increasingly volatile environment
Key Points
- Increasing Frequency and Intensity: Bushfires have become more frequent and more intense, with the 2019-2020 Black Summer fires burning 21% of Eastern Australia’s temperate broad-leafed forests.
- Unprecedented Climatic Conditions: 2019 was Australia’s hottest and driest year on record, contributing to unprecedented fire conditions.
- Global Issue: The world could lose most of its forests in dry climate areas if global temperatures rise beyond 2-3°C.
- Vulnerability of Settlements: The most vulnerable areas are urban fringes with scattered development in bush, requiring rethinking of urban planning to reduce risk.
- Indigenous Fire Management: Indigenous fire management techniques, such as “cool burns,” should be applied across all types of bush to help reduce fire risk.
- Calls for Strong Leadership: Adaptation measures require strong leadership, innovation, and investment to make communities climate-resilient, similar to the COVID-19 response.
