Tasmania fires may ‘wipe out ancient species’

HOBART: Tasmania’s ancient rainforest and alpine flora species face an uncertain future, scientists have warned, after out-of-control bushfires consumed vast tracts of wild bushland.

As authorities downgraded emergency warnings yesterday, with wetter weather – and even some snow – bringing respite from more than a month of rolling fires, scientists warned they are still assessing the damage to the island’s unique environment.

Wildfires have scorched over 205,000ha in the south-west, centre and north-west of the island – fuelled, scientists believe, by climate change.

Most of the native eucalypt forests have adapted to frequent burning, but Tasmania is a refuge for ancient species, whose presence dates back millions of years to when Australia was part of a supercontinent called Gondwana.

Located in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, these species are more accustomed to ice ages than bushfires, and include the slow-growing Pencil Pine, King Billy Pine and Cushion Plant.

They require a “cool, very permanently wet and fire-proof” environment, David Bowman, Professor of Environmental Change Biology at the University of Tasmania, told AFP, after a trip to inspect the burnt wilderness.

“It’s like a bonsai garden gone berserk” he said describing the species. “Some of the trunks of these pencil pines are 1,000 years old, but they’re clonal, so they have been there for 10,000 years.”

“They’re resilient to ice ages but when you warm the climate they are completely toast.”