The Springs Ran Dry. Then This Australian Town Burned.

The Springs Ran Dry. Then This Australian Town Burned. - The New York Times

Residents in some lush rural places thought the blazes would never reach them. On New Year’s Eve, as firestorms swept through, they were proved wrong. “I’ve run out of tears,” one resident said.


MOGO, Australia — The lawns were always green in Mogo, a former gold-mining town in southeastern Australia where water from natural springs bubbled just beneath the surface. The lush oasis had never burned as far as anyone could remember.

Last week, strong winds swept through the town, bringing a terrifying firestorm that razed half of the main street. Many now are asking: If a swampy garden spot can burn, is anywhere safe in rural Australia?
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Australia joins the list of areas on this planet that are suffering as a result of global warming.

JacksinPA said:

Australia joins the list of areas on this planet that are suffering as a result of global warming.

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More than 180 Australians have been arrested for arson, starting those fires. Droughts in Australia are nothing new. While climate warming may have contributed to the intensity of this year's conflagration, it doesn't seem the likely cause. I won't guess at the motivations of the arsonists, but I will so not make assumptions without data proving the effects of climate change for causing those fires. Geologists and other scientists who have researched Australia's history have unearthed strong evidence of far more massive and destructive fires during times of drought in Australia's history, and many more of lesser intensity.

Like elsewhere, fires tho destructive, can be necessary for healthy flora regrowth, with some seeds requiring intense heat before germinating, as well clearing of higher growth flora blocking sunlight for new shoots. It isn't all bad, except for homeowners who built in the path of destruction.

Brushfires in the American western plains and Eurasian steppes have always resulted in rapid healthy regrowth thanks to the fertilization derived from ash residue and new access to sunlight as brush accumulations were cleared. We have much to learn.