Is Climate Change Affecting Bushfires?

TapeCutter writes "After the devastating firestorm in Australia, there has been a lot of speculation in the press about the role of climate change. For the 'pro' argument the BBC article points to research by the CSIRO. For the 'con' argument they quote David Packham of Monash university, who is not alone in thinking '...excluding prescribed burning and fuel management has led to the highest fuel concentrations we have ever had...' However, the DSE's 2008 annual report states; '[The DSE] achieved a planned burning program of more than 156,000 hectares, the best result for more than a decade. The planned burning of forest undergrowth is by far the most powerful management tool available...' I drove through Kilmore on the evening of the firestorm, and in my 50 years of living with fire I have never seen a smoke plume anything like it. It was reported to be 15 km high and creating its own lightning. There were also reports of car windscreens and engine blocks melting. So what was it that made such an unusual firestorm possible, and will it happen again?"

Comments

Oh...

[Puffy Director Pants]

It burns! It burns!

NO...

[Jah-Wren Ryel]

The answer is no.
Despite Al Gore and Michael Moore's best efforts, climate change did not get Bush fired ... we had to rely on the 22nd amendment to get the job done.

Re:CO2 causes Global Warming?

[PopeRatzo]

Oh, y'all know there's no such thing as global warming. The bible says so.

It's about time y'all stop believing in that junk science and realize that inteligent design is how God made us.

I know this because the nice young man on AM560 said so, and he's got an associates degree in divinity with minors in atmospheric science and marketing.

Re:CO2 causes Global Warming?

[Architect_sasyr]

Use the LHC to create a black hole to suck all the heat out of the planet and thus prevent climate change!

Re:CO2 causes Global Warming?

[magarity]

And in the meantime while the plant might be being destroyed?
 
Water it and stop the cat from eating its leaves.

Re:CO2 causes Global Warming?

[rts008]

1. They aren't being increased by every boiling pot in America, or every breathing child, or every AC unit in America?

That may contribute a small amount, but the main cause is ...whales!

Since we stopped hunting them(for the most part), they have been increasing in numbers.

When you have more whales, you have more whale breath- great clouds of steam!!

Cow farts? Bah! Whale farts make Neptune tremble and weep!

And don't get me started on rabbits...