The Victorian Bushfires

The NSW Greens have a detailed policy on bushfire management. Our policy says, in part:

While recognising that controlled burning is only one form of bush fire risk reduction, The Greens have not been responsible for restricting its use. We are committed to an effective and scientifically based approach to hazard reduction, which takes into account the needs of both the human and natural environments.

Climate scientists are beginning to see a possible link between climate change and the increased risk of bushfires and their severity. A leading CSIRO scientist says there has been an increase in 'fire-weather risk', which may be due to an increase in greenhouse gases.

The bushfires in Victoria are a warning of the scale of human suffering and environmental devastation that climate change may bring if greenhouse gas emissions are not massively reduced.

Australia is becoming hotter and drier because of climate change. There is also evidence climate change is bringing increased wind speeds and the creation of ideal conditions for more frequent firestorms.

Australian Greens Leader, Senator Bob Brown, said on 11 February 2009:

"Everyone in Australia has been deeply affected by Victoria's devastating bushfires and it reminds us again of the danger inherent in Australia's beautiful bush. Greens' policy supports the ecologically appropriate use of fire, scientifically-based controlled and careful burning is an important tool in protecting lives and property, as well as being a natural part of the bush lifecycle."

The Greens have called for an International Wildfire Centre to be established in Australia to focus work on preventing these kind of catastrophic bushfires.

It is an insult to the people who have died in the fires, their loved ones and those still fighting fires that some media commentators have politicised the bushfires.