Wildfires have always occurred, but now due to climate change, they are occuring more frequently and at a worse level. These fast-moving fires often take days or weeks to put out, and are deadly to both humans and other creatures.
Wildfires usually spread through forests and vegetation, and can start in seconds. If left unchecked, they often grow out of control.
Never have BBQs etc on wild land in warm water. Also never release fire lanterns (these cause wildfires when they land). And never drop cigarette butts (like lighting a match to paper in warm weather).
Some causes of wildfires (like lightning strikes) are naturally, as are dry conditions combined with high winds. But prolonged droughts and very hot weather (caused by climate change) can increase risk. Occasionally like wildfires are even caused by arson or burning rubbish secretly.
How to Prevent Wildfires
- Never drop cigarette butts or burn rubbish, nor release anything that could catch fire. Take all BBQ waste with you, and never have BBQs on land with warning signs to say it’s banned.
- Remove dry leaves, dead branches and flammable plants (like eucalyptus) close to your home, and trim tree branches so they don’t touch roofs nor hang near powerlines. Use rocks or gravel (instead of mulch) near buildings, to help slow the spread of flames.
- Raise awareness by putting up signs on how to stop wildfires, so everyone knows how to avoid them. Ask your local fire brigade to visit offices and schools and campsites.
- Ensure you recycle glass in proper banks (sunlight can cause them to burn). Keep rubbish bins covered and never leave flammable materials near wooded or grassy areas. Store linseed paint in water, until properly disposed of.
- Keep campfires small and contained, and use established fire pits, and never leave unattended. Douse with water after the fire is out, even heat and embers can reignite hours later.
- Report potential hazards to 999 (like smouldering debris or illegal burning). Many fires are stopped before they start, due to observant individuals.
Smokey Bear is a great American website, with heaps of information to understand what wildfires are and how to stop them (it’s a shame they did not research the harm that balloon releases also do, before sticking them on top of the deer’s antlers). The site does have good info on building safe campfires.
Much ‘compostable packaging’ for chocolate and coffee is made from eucalyptus. But this is a flammable tree (Spain and Portugal have now banned new plantations, due to concerns over wildfires). Likewise, Tencel is a ‘local fibre’ from trees, but the trees are flammable. More care must be taken to determine if used in excess, these really are solutions?
How We Can Help Cuddly Koala Bears
Koala: The Cuddly Marsupial from Australia is a beautifully illustrated guide for young readers, on this iconic animal that is also a barometer for how we treat the planet, due to issues they face from wildfires caused by climate change. Koalas spend 15 hours asleep, and love to eat eucalyptus leaves.
Koala is the story of an Australian biologist’s journey to learn about these complex mysterious animals. Although they regularly appeared in her backyard, it was only when a bushfire threatened them, that she truly paid them attention. Born the size of tiny jellybeans, joeys face an upbill battle – from crawling into their mother’s pouch to being weaned onto a toxic diet of gum-tree leaves (their single source of food). But koalas are now threatened with extinction from disease, climate change and wildfires.
