ABSTRACT
Bushfires are a regular occurrence in Australia and have played a significant role in shaping the continent. Australian flora in forests is dominated by eucalyptus which has adapted itself well to regular fires. Australia has witnessed havoc caused by these widespread fires of Black Saturday (2009), Ash Wednesday (1983) among many others. Gradual loss of moisture and increase of dryness has produced an ecosystem in Australia which is prone to fires and has brought adaptation in local flora and fauna but bushfires of (2019-20) are unprecedented in both their scale and intensity. Changing climate has been a reason of concern in Australia primarily caused by GHG emissions which are one of the highest per capita emissions, positive Indian Ocean Dipole which leads to warming of sea surface in the western part as compared to its eastern side and negative direction of Southern Annular mode had made Australia record its hottest and driest December. This extreme high temperature and prolonged drought conditions led to unprecedented bushfires in the states of Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia, Queensland, Southern Australia and Australian Capital Territory. The first major bushfire started before the official arrival of spring in June 2019 and worsened at the beginning of September-2019, a series of lightning strikes further exacerbated these bushfires by the beginning of November 2019. Bushfires have burned more than eighteen million hectares of land in South Australia along with destruction of 2800 homes, killing 35 people, roughly 1.25 billion animals and evacuation of thousands of people from their homes. This paper highlights the changing climate conditions behind the Australian bushfires.
