Climate change is a “determining” factor in wildfires in Australia, the study concludes

Climate change is “Will determineAustralian public research scientists point out that this could lead to “increasingly severe wildfires”, contrary to the government.

In a co-reviewed study, researchers at the state-owned CSIRO looked at 90 years of data and concluded that climate change was the main factor behind megaphires. As it destroyed Australia in 2019-2020.

From the size of the dead plants in the ground to the humidity, weather and fire start conditions, experts studied the fire risk factors to determine what could lead to major fire accidents.

“If the eight factors of fire activity play a different role in the influence of wildfires, the climate is the determining factor in fire activity.Said Pep Kennedel, CSIRO’s head of climate research.

The results of the study were published on November 26 in the latest issue of the scientific journal Nature.

The Conservative government of Australia has repeatedly underestimated the role of climate change In the 2019-2020 fire, it devastated the southeast coast and covered major cities such as Sydney with dense heavy smoke.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison stressed that wildfires are natural in Australia, pointing to forest management, especially the lack of brush removal.

But the researchers’ sample analysis failed to establish a statistical link between the fuel loads and the burned area.

Increasingly dangerous weather

Atmospheric events such as El Niோo or La Nina can affect changes in the intensity of wildfires annually, but researchers have found that nine of the eleven years of burning more than 500,000 km2 occurred with global warming since 2000. Accelerated.

They made a connection between these events and “Increasingly dangerous weather is favorable for fires“Like fire-generated thunderstorms and dry lightning”All of these are related to anthropological climate change to varying degrees“.

The study found that the average burned area has increased by 800% over the past 20 years compared to previous decades.

In recent years, Australia has suffered from severe drought, wildfires and floods due to climate change.

The Australian government, however, refused to set a short-term emissions reduction target and promised to be one of the largest exporters of gas and coal.

TV news 02/01/2020