Studyphysics Mark Rebate Certificates Forum

Full Version: Climate change boosted Australia bushfire risk by at least 30%
You're currently viewing a stripped down version of our content. View the full version with proper formatting.
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-51742646 

Scientists have published the first assessment quantifying the role of climate change in the recent Australian bushfires.

Global warming boosted the risk of the hot, dry weather that's likely to cause bushfires by at least 30%.

Co-author Geert Jan van Oldenborgh of the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute in De Bilt, The Netherlands, told the BBC even the study's very conservative estimates were troubling. 
"Last year the fire prevention system in Australia, which is extremely well prepared for bushfires, was straining. It was at the limits of what it could handle, with volunteers working for weeks on end," said Prof van Oldenborgh. "As the world warms, these events will become more likely and more common. And it's not something that we are ready for."
 
During the 2019-2020 fire season in Australia, record-breaking temperatures and months of severe drought fuelled a series of massive bushfires across the country.

At least 33 people were killed and more than 11 million hectares of bush, forest and parks across Australia burned.

Although it makes sense that human-induced global warming is likely to have led to more bushfires, assigning a figure to that increased risk is complex. That is because other factors not directly related to climate change may also play a significant role. These include increased water use making the land drier, urban heating effects or unknown local factors.