What impacts do bushfires have on the Australian environment?
A bushfire is a fire that occurs in the bush (collective term for scrub, woodland or grassland of Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia). In south east Australia, bushfires tend to be most common and most severe during summer and autumn, in drought years, and particularly severe in El Niño years. Subsequently south east Australia is considered one of the most fire prone areas of the world. In the north of Australia, bushfires usually occur during winter (the dry season), and fire severity tends to be more associated with seasonal weather patterns. In the southwest, similarly, bushfires occur in the summer dry season and severity is usually related to seasonal growth. Fire frequency in the north is difficult to assess, as the vast majority of fires are caused by human activity, however lightning strikes can cause bush fires too.
