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Queensland bushfires: firefighters brace for worsening conditions Queensland bushfire and cyclone seasons may clash, state warns
(about 4 hours later)
Raging bushfires are expected to be exacerbated in Queensland over the next two days as dry winds return fanning scores of blazes across the state. Queensland’s bushfire and cyclone seasons could collide this year as the state cops a battering from climate change, the Palaszczuk government has warned.
The emergency services minister, Craig Crawford, said on Friday he had appointed a team to make sure that volunteers called on in times of disasters could cope with what lay ahead.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) workers were acutely aware of the dangers climate change was throwing at them, he said.
“My people are very much on the side of the converted,” he told ABC radio on Friday amid the worst start on record to Queensland’s fire season.
“They know what they are seeing is a heightened fire danger but at the same time we’re expecting probably a heightened cyclone season as well so we’re getting it from both ends.
“But there are a lot of people in this state and in this country that don’t even believe climate change exists.”
Crawford said he feared what might happen if the bushfire season continued in the way it had begun, and about fatigue setting in among volunteers, and employers who released them from work during emergencies.
“Are we going to be able to sustain those numbers? What happens if we have a fire season like we had for the last week for the next three to four months?
Queensland bushfires: firefighters brace for worsening conditions
“How do we manage that? How do we keep their employers happy, their families happy, and still be able to tap into them?”
Crawford has appointed a QFES team to look at how the state can best manage volunteer fatigue and other risks, including limited interstate help once fire seasons kick in elsewhere around Australia.
Hundreds of firefighters have travelled to Queensland over the past few weeks to deal with the state’s bushfire emergency.
The danger is not over yet – dozens of fires are still burning and a wind change expected on Friday afternoon could spark flare-ups.
The police commissioner, Katarina Carroll, said conditions next week were unlikely to match those of the past seven days, when dozens of properties were destroyed or damaged in the south and south-east.
But she said some fires would continue to burn for the foreseeable future.
“We will not put some of these fires out unless we get a lot of rain and there is no rain in sight,” she told reporters from a fire staging ground at Canungra, in the Gold Coast hinterland.
Raging bushfires are expected to be exacerbated in the state over the next two days as dry winds return fanning scores of blazes.
The fire danger in the south and southeast has returned to very high for Friday and Saturday, and it could reach severe to extreme levels by the middle of next week.The fire danger in the south and southeast has returned to very high for Friday and Saturday, and it could reach severe to extreme levels by the middle of next week.
The prime minister, Scott Morrison, will travel to Scenic Rim on Friday to inspect damage, amid close to a dozen homes burning down. Meanwhile, Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will visit Stanthorpe.The prime minister, Scott Morrison, will travel to Scenic Rim on Friday to inspect damage, amid close to a dozen homes burning down. Meanwhile, Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will visit Stanthorpe.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services assistant commissioner, John Bolger, said crews had used the last couple of benign weather days to strengthen containment lines. Fifty-five fires are burning across the state. Queensland Fire and Emergency Services assistant commissioner, John Bolger, said crews had used the last couple of benign weather days to strengthen containment lines. Fifty-five fires were burning across the state.
Bolger said crews were welcoming reinforcements from interstate.Bolger said crews were welcoming reinforcements from interstate.
“We have 100 firefighters from Victoria and South Australia. As a matter of interest, we’ve got two New Zealanders flying in today. They are going into Rockhampton as air attack supervisors,” he told ABC TV on Friday morning.“We have 100 firefighters from Victoria and South Australia. As a matter of interest, we’ve got two New Zealanders flying in today. They are going into Rockhampton as air attack supervisors,” he told ABC TV on Friday morning.
A dry southwesterly wind is expected to sweep southern parts of Queensland from Friday morning, with temperatures also expected to be four to five degrees above the September average.
The state government is turning its mind to recovery plans for fire affected communities, with a focus on rebuilding their economies.
A recovery taskforce is due to meet in the Gold Coast hinterland on Friday, along with another group focused on economic recovery.
State development minister Cameron Dick says support will be offered to people whose livelihoods have been affected by the fires, including workers from the Binna Burra lodge, which was destroyed.
Acting fire commissioner Mike Wassing says Queensland faces a long period of danger through spring and summer.
“This will continue for weeks and potentially months. There is no outlook for rain.”
The link between rising greenhouse gas emissions and increased bushfire risk is complex but, according to major science agencies, clear. Climate change does not create bushfires, but it can and does make them worse. A number of factors contribute to bushfire risk, including temperature, fuel load, dryness, wind speed and humidity. The link between rising greenhouse gas emissions and increased bushfire risk is complex but, according to major science agencies, clear. Climate change does not create bushfires, but it can and does make them worse. A number of factors contribute to bushfire risk, including temperature, fuel load, dryness, wind speed and humidity. 
The Bureau of Meteorology and the CSIRO say Australia has warmed by 1C since 1910 and temperatures will increase in the future. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says it is extremely likely increased atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases since the mid-20th century is the main reason it is getting hotter. The Bushfire and Natural Hazards research centre says the variability of normal events sits on top of that. Warmer weather increases the number of days each year on which there is high or extreme bushfire risk.The Bureau of Meteorology and the CSIRO say Australia has warmed by 1C since 1910 and temperatures will increase in the future. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says it is extremely likely increased atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases since the mid-20th century is the main reason it is getting hotter. The Bushfire and Natural Hazards research centre says the variability of normal events sits on top of that. Warmer weather increases the number of days each year on which there is high or extreme bushfire risk.
Dry fuel load - the amount of forest and scrub available to burn - has been linked to rising emissions. Under the right conditions, carbon dioxide acts as a kind of fertiliser that increases plant growth. Dry fuel load - the amount of forest and scrub available to burn - has been linked to rising emissions. Under the right conditions, carbon dioxide acts as a kind of fertiliser that increases plant growth. 
Dryness is more complicated. Complex computer models have not found a consistent climate change signal linked to rising CO2 in the decline in rain that has produced the current eastern Australian drought. But higher temperatures accelerate evaporation. They also extend the growing season for vegetation in many regions, leading to greater transpiration (the process by which water is drawn from the soil and evaporated from plant leaves and flowers). The result is that soils, vegetation and the air may be drier than they would have been with the same amount of rainfall in the past.Dryness is more complicated. Complex computer models have not found a consistent climate change signal linked to rising CO2 in the decline in rain that has produced the current eastern Australian drought. But higher temperatures accelerate evaporation. They also extend the growing season for vegetation in many regions, leading to greater transpiration (the process by which water is drawn from the soil and evaporated from plant leaves and flowers). The result is that soils, vegetation and the air may be drier than they would have been with the same amount of rainfall in the past.
The year coming into the 2019-20 summer has been unusually warm and dry for large parts of Australia. Above average temperatures now occur most years and 2019 has been the fifth driest start to the year on record, and the driest since 1970.The year coming into the 2019-20 summer has been unusually warm and dry for large parts of Australia. Above average temperatures now occur most years and 2019 has been the fifth driest start to the year on record, and the driest since 1970.
“What we’ve seen is extraordinary dry conditions, with the extremes of high winds and high temperatures,” he said on Thursday. “This will continue for weeks and potentially months. There is no outlook for rain.” The state government was turning its mind to recovery plans for fire affected communities, with a focus on rebuilding their economies.
Winds are forecast to pick up at the weekend, and from Monday to Wednesday temperatures in half of the state will be hotter than the average. A recovery taskforce was due to meet in the Gold Coast hinterland on Friday, along with another group focused on economic recovery.
Police are looking closely at 22 fires to determine if they were lit on purpose, with the commissioner, Katarina Carroll, saying a taskforce has found 13 were caused by an accident, reckless behaviour or deliberate acts. State development minister Cameron Dick said support would be offered to people whose livelihoods had been affected by the fires, including workers from the Binna Burra lodge, which was destroyed.
Authorities say there is an element of survivor’s guilt in parts of the Gold Coast hinterland, where some homes were razed while others were left untouched. Acting fire commissioner Mike Wassing says Queensland faced a long period of danger through spring and summer.
Scenic Rim’s mayor, Greg Christensen, has been trying to steer his community through disaster. “Tragedy comes and goes in life,” he said on Thursday. “This will continue for weeks and potentially months. There is no outlook for rain.”
“How it affects us is determined by how much we can focus on the joy inside of us being greater than that which is affecting us from the outside.” “What we’ve seen is extraordinary dry conditions, with the extremes of high winds and high temperatures,” he said. “This will continue for weeks and potentially months. There is no outlook for rain.”
Winds were forecast to pick up at the weekend, and from Monday to Wednesday temperatures in half of the state would be hotter than the average.
Australian natural disasters minister's complete about face: 'I believe in climate science'
Police were looking closely at 22 fires to determine if they were lit on purpose, and Carroll said a taskforce had found that 13 were caused by an accident, reckless behaviour or deliberate acts.
Authorities said there was an element of survivor’s guilt in parts of the Gold Coast hinterland, where some homes were razed while others were left untouched.
In NSW, firefighters could be given some reprieve with weather conditions expected to be “reasonably benign” in coming days.In NSW, firefighters could be given some reprieve with weather conditions expected to be “reasonably benign” in coming days.
But another bushfire was keeping them busy in the Northern Tablelands area on Thursday night, with concerns that it could threaten properties.But another bushfire was keeping them busy in the Northern Tablelands area on Thursday night, with concerns that it could threaten properties.
The Rural Fire Service issued a “watch and act” warning – which was later downgraded to “advice” – for a fire east of Glen Innes. The RFS advised that spot fires ahead of the fire front could threaten properties in the Newton Boyd area.The Rural Fire Service issued a “watch and act” warning – which was later downgraded to “advice” – for a fire east of Glen Innes. The RFS advised that spot fires ahead of the fire front could threaten properties in the Newton Boyd area.
Australian natural disasters minister's complete about face: 'I believe in climate science'
Warnings for three massive blazes at Bees Nest near Armidale, Drake near Tenterfield, and Shark Creek in the Clarence Valley remained at “advice” levels as firefighters kept working to bring them under control.Warnings for three massive blazes at Bees Nest near Armidale, Drake near Tenterfield, and Shark Creek in the Clarence Valley remained at “advice” levels as firefighters kept working to bring them under control.
Several regions will experience very high fire danger on Friday, including the far north coast, New England and the northern slopes. The north coast, greater Hunter and Illawarra regions are among those with a high fire danger rating.
A Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster, Neale Fraser, said while it is expected to remain dry and some areas would face very high fire danger, the weather would be “reasonably benign” in coming days.
He said a high pressure system meant winds aren’t going to be a factor.
Longer term, he added, conditions could potentially worsen towards the end of next week.
BushfiresBushfires
QueenslandQueensland
New South WalesNew South Wales
WildfiresWildfires
Natural disasters and extreme weatherNatural disasters and extreme weather
Australia weatherAustralia weather
Gold CoastGold Coast
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