<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/09/australia-nsw-tasmania-bushfires-warning-experts>
"Australians should “expect the unexpected” this bushfire season amid dangerous
conditions, experts have warned, after a severe start that saw a firefighter
killed and homes destroyed in several states.
Bushfires at Koolewong and Bulahdelah in New South Wales destroyed 20 homes and
a natural disaster has been declared in several local government areas, while
wind-driven fires at Dolphin Sands in eastern Tasmania razed 19 houses and
damaged dozens more.
While battling the Bulahdelah blaze, a veteran firefighter suffered cardiac
arrest after being struck by a tree on Sunday night and died at the scene, with
the NSW premier, Chris Minns, describing it as a “foreboding beginning” to the
season.
The extreme start follows several years that have been marked by
wetter-than-average weather for much of the country and catastrophic floods in
some areas.
Last month, the Bureau of Meteorology declared a La Niña was under way but the
wetter and cooler weather typically associated with that climate phenomenon
might not happen this time around due to factors including global heating.
The start of December has already produced heatwaves in several states. This
follows a dry spring for large parts of south-eastern Australia thanks to the
influence of a rare warming phenomenon – called sudden stratospheric warming –
over Antarctica.
David Bowman, a professor of pyrogeography and fire science at the University
of Tasmania, said “the No 1 message is: expect the unexpected”.
In a world of increasing climate instability, he said people should “stop
assuming a seasonal forecast or the authorities can have some crystal ball to
tell you what February is going to be like”.
Instead, he said the “smartest thing” people could do was prepare: have a
bushfire survival plan and build situational awareness, at home or when
travelling."
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
