Categories: The Green Room

Australia's Forest Fires Linked to Climate Change, scientists say

Australia may be the most fire-prone continent on earth, but scientists say the ferocity…

by Alex Shimo on Monday, February 9, 2009 7:14pm - 14 Comments

Australia may be the most fire-prone continent on earth, but scientists say the ferocity of the recent forest fires is likely linked to climate change. The temperature has been rising steadily since the 1950s, and is expected to increase by 3 degrees Celcius by 2050. Scientists say the hot, dry conditions will worsen the intensity and frequency of wildfires. This week’s blazes occurred after a record heatwave and hot, dry winds in southern Victoria state. The fires have swept nearly 200,000 hectares. At least 170 people have been killed in the disaster, and more than 3,000 people have been displaced.

Australia currently has fairly weak climate change targets: Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has set a target to cut overall greenhouse gas emissions by 5 percent by 2020. Further cuts, to about 15 percent, are contingent on widespread international agreement on stronger action, he says. However, since the fires, there is mounting political pressure to toughen these targets. Green groups want Australia to cut emissions by 25 per cent by 2002 as an example to India and China about the need for firm action.

Tags: Australia, climate change, forest fire, wildfire

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madeyoulook

That’s odd. I thought the Oz cops were going after arsonists.

Mobster drowns in the river; body found in sleeping bag tied to cement block. Cause? Isn’t it obvious? All that water! Bloody spring thaw…
sf

Let’s hope that the polar bears can escape the wildfires.
Jarrid

I thought it was arson too.
Ti-Guy

The arsonists didn’t create the dry conditions.

Dot

I believe it was the rabbits.

D

So, arsonists are responsible for a ten year drought? Uh huh. Great reasoning there dudes…
Sisyphus

I think the reports say that arson is a possibility in SOME instances.

Temperatures of 48C accompanied by 50-60 mph winds are the real problems.

And I don’t think arsonists are causing the major flooding 1000 miles northof the fires.
madeyoulook

News flash: forest fires have been around loooooong before we started burning fossil fuels. Pretty much everywhere. Australia has had hot weather since, well, since the “scientists” were predicting an ice age back in the seventies, maybe even earlier.

To stand in front of every instance of heat on this planet with the Gore Look of Doom(tm) is just disingenuous nonsense. As stupid as saying “Aha! Global warming is crap!” whenever there’s a cold snap.
http://www.canadianrosebud.blogspot.com dan in van

The intensity of the changes going on in the weather patterns is definitely alarming. Fires in Australia may be precipitated by the changing weather pattern there. Here in the Lower mainland, we had a huge dump of snow in December. Beyond those 4-5 days of heavy snowfall, the past month has been virtually dry, as dirty snow remains piled up still six weeks after the storm (in central Coquitlam, there are many yards still completely covered; a normal January would have seen that washed away with 72 hours)…
T. Thwim

Bad article and a bad headline.
Both links in this article are to the same CNN article, which says absolutely nothing about what scientists think about the forest fires whatsoever.

It’s articles like this that make it so easy for inactivists to say it’s all a load of crap.

I believe it’s probably true that scientists have said that forest fires will likely show an increased severity due to climate change, but to link it to any specific fire is not only specious, but is the exact type of reporting that serves the purpose of those who would argue that scientists can’t be trusted at all on this issue. Please correct the headline and article, or provide links to some scientist which has actually said anything along these lines.
VangelV

If you look at Australian soils you find bushfire deposits for thousands of years. These fires are very common because of Australia’s lack of precipitation and many plant species use low intensity fires to help them reproduce and increase their numbers versus competing vegetation.

These fires did a great deal more damage than they should have because politicians prevented property owners from clearing sources of fuel from near their homes. Add to this the massive accumulation of fuel on public lands and it is no surprise that the tragedy was much bigger than it should have been. Until Australians wise up to the dangers of the policies that the politicians and greens are pushing they will remain in danger.
wayne moores

More alarmist ranting by eco-fraudsters. Just another example of stupid people building communities in desert areas. Suppressing natural brush firers that used to happen every year and used to keep things in check. Just as stupid as people in what used to be desert areas of California. A hundred years ago fires raged in these areas and no one knew or cared because hardly anyone lived there. As George Carlin said on his bit about eco-phonies “saving the planet”, people build their homes on the sides of active volcanoes and are stunned when they find lava running through their living rooms. I suggest everyone U-Tube Carlin’s take on this. It’s hilarious and oh so true. He sniffed out the eco-snake oil salesmen long ago. Cheers.
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Kishore M Sali

How can it be Arson over such huge area & at different points. Its also happening in California, BC Canada, France & other places. So is that also arson? There has to be some other reason… most probably climate change.