AUSTRALIAN BUSHFIRES are forecast to contribute to record high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere this year.
Mike Brown, Emergency Leaders for Climate Action and former Chief Fire Officer, Tasmania Fire Service, said: "It is clear that we are trapped in a vicious cycle where rising emissions fuel more extreme bushfire danger in Australia, which in turn fuels more greenhouse gas pollution."
"Climate change, driven by the burning of coal, oil, and gas, is worsening the hot and dry conditions that increase fire danger, and putting unprecedented strain on fire and emergency services.
"Current personnel numbers, equipment and risk management methods are less effective against these intensifying conditions. Climate inaction is hurting our communities and firefighters.
"We're like a frog in a boiling pot. If we don't turn off the heat, it doesn't matter how fast we swim. What we do in Australia matters globally. We must reduce emissions and accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels.
"But instead of a credible climate policy or the urgent and rapid emissions cuts we need, we have a Federal Government that refuses to raise its woefully inadequate emissions targets and continues to back fossil fuels.
"As we have seen this fire season, rising bushfire danger is literally a matter of life or death. The Federal Government must stop sidelining action on climate change and demonstrate the moral and political leadership that Australians and the world are demanding," said Brown.
