Bushfires that wreaked havoc on ancient forests linked to climate change

From today's Melbourne Age - the eerie images
from Tasmania's central plateau following
bushfires scientists have linked to climate change.

Ancient alpine ecosystems unique to Tasmania's remote world heritage wilderness, including trees that lived for more than a millennium, have been killed by fires that scientists say are linked to climate change.

The first images of the damage on the state's central plateau have triggered calls for governments to do more to protect internationally recognised landscapes as part of their fire response.

Taken on Saturday near Lake Mackenzie at an altitude of about 1200 metres, the photographs show pencil and king billy pines and cushion plants scorched after lightning strikes on January 13. Some are estimated to be 1500 years old.

Read Adam Morton’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “‘Like losing the thylacine’: Fire burns Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.”