The Climate Council has released a new briefing paper called “This Is Not Normal” which finds the catastrophic fire conditions affecting NSW and Queensland have been aggravated by climate change.

“For more than 20 years scientists have warned that climate change would increase the risk of extreme bushfires in Australia. These warnings have now become reality and we are seeing communities paying the price,” said the Climate Council’s CEO, Amanda McKenzie.

The briefing paper finds that Australia’s fire season has lengthened so substantially that it has reduced opportunities for fuel reduction burning making it harder to prepare for worsening conditions. 

“Bushfire seasons are now stretching from spring to autumn, and in some areas even into winter. The window to conduct fuel reduction burns is now very narrow.”  

“Fires are becoming more difficult and expensive to fight and sharing resources is becoming more difficult between states and territories and countries,” said Ms McKenzie. 

“We need the Federal Government to urgently develop a plan that prepares Australian communities as well as health and emergency services for escalating fire danger.  We must also rapidly phase out the burning of coal, oil and gas which is driving more dangerous fires,” she said.

The Climate Council has previously published 11 peer-reviewed reports on bushfires and climate change written by world leading authorities.

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The Climate Council is Australia’s leading climate change communications organisation. We provide authoritative, expert and evidence-based advice on climate change to journalists, policymakers, and the wider Australian community.

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