Introduction
Each year, Australia experiences a bushfire season. But why have scientists, and the public, become so worried about the Australian bushfires, if they are a natural part of weather conditions in the region?
The 2019-2020 bushfire season has been the most devastating to date, with over 2 million acres of land being burned. Over the past few decades, the annual mean global temperature has steadily increased, reaching its highest number on record as of 2019. While climate change is not the cause of the fires, the consistent warming and drying of Australia has increased the risk of potential wildfires and made bushfire seasons progressively more devastating.
Indian Ocean Dipole
The main culprit of the increasing intensity of Australian wildfires is the Indian Ocean Dipole, a climate phenomenon similar to that of El Nino. A positive Indian Ocean Dipole causes more extreme fluctuations of temperature between the east and west. In the past, unusually strong positive dipoles have caused severe flooding in Eastern Africa and severe droughts in south-east Asia and Australia. On October 7th, 2019, according to the BBC, the Indian Ocean Dipole reached a six-decade record positive peak.
Indian Ocean Dipole Research
In a 2014 study published in Nature, scientists modeled the effects of CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions on Indian Ocean Dipoles, using extreme examples of this phenomenon in 1969, 1994, and 1997 (BBC).
Using an “ensemble of climate models”, scientists projected that the prevalence of extreme pIOD events will increase,"from one event every 17.3 years over the twentieth century, to one event every 6.3 years over the twenty-first century" (NCBI PubMed).
It is clear that to prevent extreme fires in Australia, we must do everything possible to cut CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions.
Impacts on the Environment
The effects of these fires are far too devastating to endure again. As of January 2020, according to Science News, an estimated one billion animals have been killed, greatly threatening Australian biodiversity. This number doesn't even include bats, frogs, or invertebrates, which could be dying by the trillions (ScienceNews).
Habitat Loss
In addition to direct animal deaths, the fires are ravaging ecosystems that many organisms rely on. Habitats, such as Kangaroo Island, have turned into completely different landscapes. Kangaroo Island is home to several national parks and has long been regarded as a wildlife refuge.
At least one [Kangaroo Island Dunnart] has been spotted on a camera trap in recent days, but for a species that numbered at just 500 individuals before the fires, the outlook is grim (ScienceNews).
These extreme changes in habitats displace countless species and drain the land of resources crucial to these animals’ survival. Species that survived the fires are now being forced to repopulate in new climatic conditions, making the regeneration process much harder.
Species Specific Trauma
Koalas in particular represent a specific effect of the wildfires on native wildlife. As a result of the destruction of landscapes and resources, many animals are being driven out into the open. The sudden appearance of uncommon animals is disconcerting, as they reflect only a portion of the unknown millions lost to the fires. In the interview linked below, a New South Wales veterinarian recounts her firsthand experiences from dealing with the tragic number of injured animals from the bushfires (NPR).
Farm animals are being uniquely affected as well. The fires have destroyed large amounts of animal feed, leading to a distinct drop in fertility due to a combination of starvation and stress.
How You Can Help
When faced with such extreme challenges, it is easy to feel powerless. Here, we have collected numerous ways that YOU can help prevent yet another devastating wildfire season.
Donate to local firefighting services
The Country Fire Authority (CFA), consisting of unpaid volunteers and firefighters working up to 12 hour shifts, has been at the front lines of the bushfire crisis. Your donations can help them keep the 3.3 million people living in Victoria safe by funding research and fire safety education within local communities.
Donate to the Australian Red Cross
The Australian Red Cross has been crucial in the evacuation of community members and the running of relief centers on the ground. With your donation, the Australian Red Cross will continue to provide relief to communities, aid in housing reconstruction, and provide long-term solutions to surrounding communities. The provided link gives a detailed description about how your donation will be used.
Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
Many organizations provide information on the importance of carbon emission reduction. The Footprint Network provides a calculator that, based on your lifestyle, will report how many Earths would be required to support the global population if everyone lived that way. These results can help the user visualize the unsustainability of their own lifestyle. The American Association for the Advancement of Science and the New York Times are two other organizations educating the public on day-to-day sustainability, including additional ways readers can reduce their carbon emissions in easy and simple steps.