The infernos of January 2020 will be remembered for destroying so much of southeastern Australia. I weep for the burns’ victims. So many people and so much wildlife in so much pain. In terms of area of land burnt, these last few weeks may be … [Read more...] about After the Tragic Wildfires: History is Rewritten or Forgotten
Bushfires
It has been hotter, fires have burnt larger areas
The word unprecedented is applied to almost every bad thing that happens at the moment, as though particular events could not have been predicted, and have never happened before at such a scale or intensity. This is creating so much anxiety, because … [Read more...] about It has been hotter, fires have burnt larger areas
No QA of bureau temperature data by CSIRO bushfire modellers
Despite an exceptionally cool end to this October, the CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology have just put out a joint report claiming that there is going to be an increase in the number of hot days and thus an increased risk of devastating bushfires -- … [Read more...] about No QA of bureau temperature data by CSIRO bushfire modellers
Philosophising on Bushfires: A Note from David Ward
FIRE in the landscape, or bushfire, is Australia’s most lethal and costly natural hazard. Big, uncontrollable bushfires can kill millions of trees and wild animals, thousands of farm animals, and sometimes humans too. Apart from deaths, bushfires … [Read more...] about Philosophising on Bushfires: A Note from David Ward
Vale Ray Evans & How to Win an Argument
I first meet Ray Evans at a dinner at the Institute of Public Affairs. It must have been in about 2004, ten years ago, because I had just seen the movie ‘The Day After Tomorrow’. Staring Dennis Quaid as a paleoclimatologist professor, the movie was … [Read more...] about Vale Ray Evans & How to Win an Argument
Flowers Can Follow Fire in Forests: David Ward
SOME say that fuel reduction burning harms the bush. Others say it creates and maintains healthy vegetation, and avoids uncontrollable wildfires. Natural science is unlikely to resolve the debate, since both sides can produce refereed papers to … [Read more...] about Flowers Can Follow Fire in Forests: David Ward
Jennifer Marohasy BSc PhD has worked in industry and government. She is currently researching a novel technique for long-range weather forecasting funded by the B. Macfie Family Foundation.