Effects of Global Warming On Australia - Bush Fires

Bush Fires

Firefighting officials are concerned with the effects climate change will bring on the frequency and intensity of bushfires under even a "low global warming" scenario. A 2006 report, prepared by CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, Bushfire CRC, and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, identified South Eastern Australia as one of the 3 most fire-prone areas in the world, and concluded that an increase in fire-weather risk is likely at most sites over the next several decades, including the average number of days when the Forest Fire Danger Index rating is very high or extreme. It also found that the combined frequencies of days with very high and extreme FFDI ratings are likely to increase 4-25% by 2020 and 15-70% by 2050, and that the increase in fire-weather risk is generally largest inland.

In 2009, the Black Saturday bushfires erupted after a period of record hot weather resulting in the loss of 173 lives and the destruction of 1830 homes, and the newly found homelessness of over 7,000 people. Australian Greens leader Bob Brown, argued that increased fire days due to climate change, was likely to blame for the fires but the Black Saturday Royal Commission found that the amount of fire fuel reduction burning should have been double of what had done.