Australia is
the world’s
most fire-prone
continent.
In 1900, 11%
of its surface
burned annually.
These days, 5%
of the country
burns every year.
Bushfires are NOT
worse than ever.
Bushfires are NOT
caused by
global warming.
Bushfires will NOT
be reduced by a
reduction in
CO2 emissions.
Since 1900,
the GLOBAL
wildfire burnt area
has declined by
more than one-third.
Australia’s burnt area
also declined by
more than one third
from 1900 to 2000,
and has declined
even more after
2000.
For Australia,
satellites show that
from 1997 to 2018
the burnt area
declined by one-third.
This fire season,
2.5% of
Australia’s area
has burned,
compared with
the past 10 years’
4.8% average,
by this point.
Australia’s current
fire season:
As of
January 26, 2020,
bushfires burned
19.4 million hectares
in Australia —
about half the
average burn over
the similar timeframe,
of 37 million hectares,
in the satellite record.
( Satellites actually show
46 million hectares burnt,
on average, but
9 million hectares
are likely from
prescribed burns,
for a net burn of 37
million hectares ).
What's different
this fire season:
Fires were mostly
in NSW and Victoria,
important states
with about half
the country’s
population ...
and many of
its media outlets,
who prefer to ignore
the remaining 87%
of Australia, where
the burned area
has declined.