Sydney: In a summer that was supposed to be unusually cool and wet, Australian builder Rob Lye did not expect to be trapped by a bushfire on sub-tropical Fraser Island and battling with his neighbours to protect their homes.
With climate change overriding some of Australia’s more moderating weather forces, scientists say wildfires like the one that tore through half of the island’s forest in recent weeks are increasingly likely.
“We just found a safe spot to settle and rest while the fire was burning,” said Lye, 52, of the island’s Happy Valley township.
“It wasn’t pleasant,” he said, adding that the local community, many of whom opted against following an evacuation order, saved all 50 or so houses before sheltering for safety as fire tore through the island on Monday.
Bushfires in a wet year have Australia s scientists looking to climate change
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Fraser Fiasco: We could ve lost the island | Coffs Coast Advocate
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 Fraser Island could have been completely lost if professional firefighters had not taken control of the bushfire on November 27, emergency sources say. In an incredible admission, a senior firefighting source said control of the fire should have been handed from Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service to Queensland Fire and Emergency Service much sooner. The source said QPWS left the situation in a shambles and the organisation had a chance to put the fire out in October, but failed. Despite this, he said they didn t deserve the criticism they had received and more needed to be done to burn around resorts and the island s hot spots in the cooler months.