‘Catastrophic wildfire loop’ created after colonisation left parts of Australia more at risk from bushfires, study finds
News Source
•Wed, 07 Oct 2026 15:00:53 GMT
📰 What Happened
Researchers say colonisation created a catastrophic wildfire loop that made south-east Australia more prone to bushfires. They studied a metre-long core of mud from a lake in Croajingolong national park in Victoria. By looking at pollen and charcoal, they rebuilt 1,000 years of fire and plant history. Open woodland turned into dense forest after 1788.
🔍 The Backstory
The team worked with the Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation, which represents traditional owners. For thousands of years, Aboriginal people used cultural burning to keep the land open and cut down fuel. Colonisation stopped these practices and changed how land was used. Dense forests now carry more fuel, so fires burn hotter and bigger. Climate change adds more heat and drought.
🎯 Why It Matters
The findings help explain why recent bushfires have been so fierce. They also support bringing back cultural burning to make the land safer for everyone.
Researchers say colonisation created a catastrophic wildfire loop that made south-east Australia more prone to bushfires. They studied a metre-long core of mud from a lake in Croajingolong national park in Victoria. By looking at pollen and charcoal, they rebuilt 1,000 years of fire and plant history. Open woodland turned into dense forest after 1788.
The team worked with the Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation, which represents traditional owners. For thousands of years, Aboriginal people used cultural burning to keep the land open and cut down fuel. Colonisation stopped these practices and changed how land was used. Dense forests now carry more fuel, so fires burn hotter and bigger. Climate change adds more heat and drought.
The findings help explain why recent bushfires have been so fierce. They also support bringing back cultural burning to make the land safer for everyone.