Larger population means more fire risk to Australians

With damaging bushfires currently raging throughout the eastern states of Australia, the political agendas, virtue-signalling and point-scoring by some of Australia’s public figures has also been raging.

With dry weather conditions, “climate change” and “fuel loads” being constantly discussed and debated, there seems to be one significant factor that most of the major politicians don’t seem to want to discuss. Perhaps it’s a bit of an elephant in the room.

Australia’s immigration-driven, rapidly-expanding population. The simple fact is that more humans means more human activity. More human activity means a greater risk of serious bushfires breaking out.

Common causes of bushfires include arson, accidental ignition in the course of agricultural clearing, “arcing” from overhead power lines, grinding and welding activities, firearms usage, campfires, cigarettes and dropped matches, sparks from machinery, and controlled burn escapes.

With Australia’s population recently soaring past 25 million people, it is quite possible that the bad bushfires that Australia has seen in recent seasons might become a very common yearly seasonal occurrence.

Perhaps it’s another factor that those powerful forces pushing for a “Big Australia” have not shown enough care about.

References:
Australia could see fewer cyclones, but more heat and fire risk in coming months”, The Conversation, 14 October 2019 (Jonathan Pollock, Andrew B. Watkin, Catherine Ganter, Paul Gregory)
Bushfires in Australia”, Wikipedia
Is Melbourne’s urban sprawl creating more bushfire risk?”, This (Deakin University), [undated] (Professor Don Driscoll)
Bushfire”, Geoscience Australia (Australian Government)
Fires not due to climate change: expert”, SBS, 21 October 2013 – updated 14 November 2019
Deputy PM unleashes on ‘stupid, despicable’ and ‘little-minded’ Greens MP from Melbourne who blamed NSW’s deadly bushfires on coal and climate change”, Daily Mail, 10 November 2019 – updated 11 November 2019 (Paula Ahillon and Adam Mccleery)
Defence accepts it poses fire risk after reports linking Gold Coast hinterland bushfire to training”, ABC News, 12 November 2019 (Gemma Sapwell)
Australia’s population to hit 25 million: Can we cope?”, SBS, 6 August 2018 (Evan Young)

Leave a Reply