March. April 11A
S WELCOME
rain pelts
down across
many parts of
southern and eastern
Australia, many are
left counting the cost
of the 2019–
record-busting
bushfire season. And it
may not be over yet.
But good rains have eased the emer-
gency in many of the worst-affected
parts of the country, and in others
there’s little left to catch fire again.
Has it been Australia’s worst-ever
bushfire season? How do we measure
notions such as worst? Of course, it
must start with loss of human life and
this season we have lost 33 loved and
valued individuals, among them nine
brave firefighters contributing their
time and expertise and ultimately their
lives for the sake of others. Each one is
a tragedy that radiates out – far beyond
the name or face that we see on the
television – to engulf family, friends,
communities and the whole nation.
Homes and property destroyed is
another measure. What more potent
symbol of destruction is there than a
homeowner standing dazed among the
smoking ruins of a house with just a
brick chimney left standing?
But earlier fires have resulted in far
greater losses of life and property and
total area burnt (see page 44). So what
is it that makes these most recent fires
the worst in Australia’s history, as is
being widely accepted?
We are undoubtedly witnessing a
shift in the public perception of such
disasters as a natural and unavoidable
part of our Australian way of life.
They are perhaps increasingly likely to
be viewed in the broader context of
the dramatic and accelerating effects of
climate change on our unique environ-
ment and ultimately to our way of life
on this continent of extremes.
What’s been remarkable about this
latest bushfire emergency is the extent
to which the damage done to our natu-
ral environment has become the focus
of assessments of its overall impact.
Concern for irreversible losses of
natural landscape and harm done to
vulnerable native faunal species
(see page 54) has dominated much of
the reporting of the crisis across
traditional and social media. This has
led to outpourings of anger, grief, calls
to action and accountability, and an
avalanche of charitable financial
contributions from all over the world.
What lasting effect this will have on
public policymakers and individuals
will depend largely on ensuring thatMaking sense of our loss
From the Editor-in-chief
the lessons learnt this season, especially
by those of us fortunate enough not to
have been directly affected by the fires,
aren’t lost when the smoke clears.
Someone unlikely to ever forget the
2019–20 fires is regular AG contributor
Quentin Chester, a long-time resident
of and huge advocate for the natural
wonder that is Kangaroo Island in
South Australia. Despite his first-hand
experience of the catastrophe that took
place there in January, we are grateful
that Quentin found time to write
about his personal sentiments of seeing
his beloved island all but destroyed and
many of his good friends so deeply
affected during those dark days.
As the year wears on we will
continue to report on the after-effects
of this record bushfire season. We will
track recovery efforts of communities
and natural environments, and seek to
understand more and more the
consequences of our changing climate
and how we can all play a part in
mitigating its effects.
And, while on that subject...don’t
forget to turn off your lights for
Earth Hour from 8.30–9.30pm
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