<
https://theconversation.com/victorias-fire-alert-has-knocked-australians-out-of-complacency-under-climate-change-catastrophic-bushfires-can-strike-any-time-224636>
"Victorians were braced for the worst on Wednesday amid soaring temperatures
and gusty winds, creating the state’s worst fire conditions in years.
Authorities have declared a “catastrophic” fire risk in some parts of the
state.
At the time of writing, the Bayindeen bushfire near Ballarat was still burning
out of control, almost a week after it began. It had razed 21,300 hectares,
destroyed six homes and killed livestock. And more than 30,000 people in
high-risk areas between Ballarat and Ararat had reportedly been told to leave
their homes.
This statewide emergency is noteworthy for several reasons. First, it represent
a big test of Australia’s updated fire danger rating system. The new version
adopted in 2022 dictates that if a fire takes hold under catastrophic
conditions, people should leave an area rather than shelter in place or stay
defend their homes.
The second point to note is the timing: late February, when many Australians
probably thought the worst of the bushfire season was over. Climate change is
bringing not just more frequent and severe fires, but longer fire seasons. That
means we must stay on heightened alert for much longer than in the past."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
