Our ‘new normal’ bush fire horror

HARROWING new research has revealed the reality of a record-breaking fire season on the Southern Downs, where blazes have burned with little reprieve since September.

Drought fuelled the worst spring on record for dangerous bushfire weather, according to data released by the Bureau of Meteorology.

The increasing and prolonged fire risk, as measured by the Forest Fire Danger Index (FFDI), was felt by local firefighter Stuart Hoffman, who described the blazes as “unstoppable”.

Mr Hoffman said the season was “definitely the worst” he’d seen since he began volunteering with the rural fire service more than 15 years ago.

“The conditions are just so dry, it’s unbelievable,” he said.

“There’s no moisture anywhere so the fire moves in unpredictable ways and faster in certain places.”

Record-low rainfall, dewpoint temperatures and punishing heatwaves prompted claims of a climate emergency among former state fire chiefs, Greg Mullins from New South Wales and Lee Johnson in Queensland.

The men organised a national summit to address how the country can prepare for and resource fire seasons as they become longer and more dangerous.

Locally, the question of climate change remains controversial.

Mr Hoffman dismissed claims of climate change and said the current season was more likely part of a larger cycle of flood and fire.

Massie fire officer Ben Rogers, on the other hand, said the fierce fire season could become “the new normal.”

“This season is a lot more intense, with much larger and intense fires running for days, weeks, and sometimes months,” Mr Rogers said.

“It’s become a lot harder to control, the fires run and jump containment lines in the blink of an eye.

“If we don’t get rain soon, it looks like this could become the new norm, which is a scary thought.”

While Mr Rogers said he could not attribute the change to a climate emergency, he did admit the fire service could benefit from additional resources.

“This season has put a massive strain on all of us,” he said.

“If this does become the new normal we need to evolve to the point where we can efficiently combat and control these fires.”