Goulburn Valley bushfire concerns worsened by climate change

Today’s Shepparton News carried a story by Emily Woods headed “Fiery Future” that told of increasing bushfire risk arising from climate change and the discussed the stresses that puts upon Goulburn Valley-based fire-fighters.

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ushfire seasons are getting longer and in the future local fire-fighters will be taken away from their own communities to battle blazes elsewhere, a Climate Council report has revealed.

The report from the Climate Council
about "The Burning Issue".

Events this week have seen the predicted trends already starting to take shape.

Yesterday, several Shepparton firefighters went to Somerton to battle a large rubbish fire.

They stayed overnight to assist crews to stop the blaze from spreading the neighbouring properties.

In the past 12 months crews from the Goulburn Valley have travelled as far as Canada, Perth and to neighbouring states to assist in fighting fires, United Firefighters Union Shepparton shop steward Leigh Allen said.

“The fire seasons are going to be longer and resources are going to be strained again Australia and the Northern Hemisphere.”

Mr Allen said, “Resources are going to be tied up more in the Northern Hemisphere, but we will also see members going away from their family for longer, as there is going to be more deployments interstate.”

“We’re already shaping up to be one of the hottest seasons on record, it’s going to affect everyone across the board”.

"The Burning Issue: Climate Change and the Australia BushfireThreat" report, released on Thursday, revealed the length of the season had increased by about 19 per cent globally (between 1978 and 2013).

“Already, record-breaking temperatures in October have driven an early start to the bushfire season and large areas of south-east and south-west Australia are facing above-average bushfire potential this summer,” Climate Council Professor Lesley Hughes said.

Country Fire Authority District 22 operations manager Tony Owen said the report reflected what was already happening in the region.

“We’re being called away to fires further away, earlier in the season,” Mr Owen said.

Climate Council chief executive, 
Amanda McKenzie, who is
critical of the Federal Government's
lack of climate change action..

We’re seeing the trend in the states around us, in Sydney, Adelaide, they’re having earlier fire seasons as well.

“It’s creating a bigger burden on our CFA volunteers, the season is being drawn out and there’s loads more pressure on those fine men and women.”

Mr Owen said this season so far had been changes in the way the land responded as the temperatures rose.

“In many areas of our district the curing of the land, the drying process, is not following the traditional start in the west and moving eastwards; it’s becoming more patchy , which is quite bizarre.”

Climate Council chief executive Amanda McKenzie said the climate was on steroids and criticized the Federal Government’s climate change action.

“We must join the rest of the world in meaningful action to bring climate change under control, Ms McKenzie said.