When a bushfire rages so high it creates its own thunderstorm, it becomes a ‘firestorm’ – and makes life much more difficult for firefighters. We still have a lot to learn about what triggers them.
This orchid only flowers after a fire, so you may not spot colonies of these striking plants in bloom for decades.
Aboriginal fire management should be part of the solution to destructive bushfires, argues David Bowman, a Professor of Environmental Change Biology at the University of Tasmania.
The huge bushfires around Adelaide could be seen from space
Large fires are burning early in the Dry season in the Top End
‘Firenadoes’ are rare weather events that occur when a unique set of conditions come together.
The fires have not just devastated the animal population – they have also affected the environment in which they live. Exotic grasses and weeds are beginning to shoot up in place of the native grasses necessary for the wombat’s survival. Small wombats, like Wombalano and her sisters, can be harmed by these exotic plants which can be toxic to the wombat’s system.
Students at the Darraweit Guim Primary School…