The horrendous bushfire season experienced by Australia last summer is now being replicated on the west coast of the United States.
“The situation is escalating rapidly, particularly in California. I was there last November during the Kincade fire in Sonoma County, but things are much worse this year. The area burned in California since the start of the fire season is 20 times larger than what had burned this time last year,” said Climate Councillor and former Commissioner of Fire and Rescue NSW, Greg Mullins.
“This is the first time in recorded history that more than a million hectares have burned in California in a single season,” said Mr Mullins.
“I am hearing stories from friends in the state who are considering moving because of the increasingly terrifying wildfire seasons driven by climate change,” he said.
“There are many parallels between the US fires and the Australian fires of last summer,” said the Climate Council’s CEO Amanda McKenzie.
“California has just set a new record for the single largest fire in the state’s history. Here in Australia, the Gospers Mountain fire in the Blue Mountains was the largest fire ever recorded in our country,” she said.
“Australia’s fires and the US fires both follow devastating drought and record heat. Californians are also choking on smoke, just like Australians did last summer. Climate change is here now,” said Ms McKenzie.
“We must urgently phase out the burning of coal, oil and gas which is driving increasingly intense bushfires. Australia must accelerate the transition to renewable energy and storage. Lives and livelihoods depend on it,” she said.
For interviews please contact Senior Communications Advisor Lisa Upton on 0438 972 260 Communications Advisor, Brianna Hudson on 0455 238 875.
–
The Climate Council is Australia’s leading community-funded climate change communications organisation. We provide authoritative, expert and evidence-based advice on climate change to journalists, policymakers, and the wider Australian community.
For further information, go to: climatecouncil.org.au
Or follow us on social media: facebook.com/climatecouncil and twitter.com/climatecouncil