Last season’s bushfires killed 34 people, more than a billion animals and devastated more than 8 million hectares of land along the south-eastern fringe of Australia.
And while the bushfire royal commission is closely examining the chain of events and looking at better response plans, this nugget of positive news appeared in The Conversation.
The article looks at the five elements that made last year’s events so devastating and explains why the 2020/21 fire season will be different. It even goes as far as to say that the reduced bushfire risk is likely to persist for the next three to five years.
And that’s great news for people and communities still trying to get back on their feet after suffering through the double impact of bushfires and COVID, for all those who were suffering from respiratory issues due to the smoke and importantly, it’s a welcome opportunity for nature to recover and heal.
It doesn’t mean we can be complacent, but it does give us the opportunity to learn from last year’s events and get even more serious about tackling the climate crisis.