THE BUSHFIRE THREAT

Fires, of both natural and human origin, have shaped Australia's environment. Fire, which is essential for the regeneration of many fire-adapted plant species, was the most powerful land-use management tool of the Aborigines.

Large areas of Australia suffer from the threat of bushfires. The Australian climate is generally hot, dry and prone to drought. In the southeast, occasional strong winds with summertime cold fronts can lead to extreme fire danger.

Many of Australia's native plants burn easily. The eucalypts' high oil content makes them particularly fire prone. The vast areas of dry grass common in mid-to-late summer also burn readily.

Most loss of life and property damage occurs around the fringes of the cities where homes are sometimes surrounded by flammable vegetation.

Varied fire seasons reflect different weather patterns. For most of southern Australia, the danger period is summer and autumn. For New South Wales and southern Queensland, the peak risk usually occurs in spring and early summer. Northern Australia experiences most of its fires in winter and spring.

Figure 1