The Summer of crisis.

Australia’s Black Summer of 2019-2020 was characterised by catastrophic bushfires. The bushfire season started in winter and was the worst on record for New South Wales in terms of its intensity, the area burned, and the number of properties lost. It was also the worst season on record for properties lost in Queensland.

The Summer of Crisis report is the first comprehensive overview of the devastating climate impacts Australians experienced this summer. It focuses on New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, because the effects of the bushfires were most severe in these areas, but we acknowledge that the bushfires affected Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania.

Read the latest report from the Climate Council - “The Summer of crisis.”

Experts warn extreme bushfire weather risk growing

Climate experts have warned the weather system fuelling this week's catastrophic bushfires across south-eastern Australia will be up to four times more likely to occur under forecast levels of global warming.

Hot, dry westerly winds created extreme bushfire
 conditions in south-east Australia this week.

This particular weather event occurs when a low-pressure system from the Southern Ocean races north and collides with a high-pressure system on the NSW coast. The two systems then force hot, dry air from inland Australia out towards the coast, resulting in strong westerly winds for days, before an abrupt southerly change when the cold front sweeps past.

Read the story from The Age by Mike Foley - “Experts warn extreme bushfire weather risk growing.”