Australia faces longer fire seasons, marine heatwaves in coming years

Australia is projected to endure longer fire seasons and more frequent marine heatwaves in the coming years, according to recent reports. These changes are attributed to climate change, which is expected to increase the intensity and duration of extreme weather events. As a result, ecosystems and communities may face significant challenges, prompting the need for enhanced preparedness and adaptive strategies to mitigate impacts.

Australia must prepare for increasingly longer and more hazardous fire seasons and marine heatwaves in the coming years, as a government report indicated on Thursday. Rapid changes in weather patterns are likely to result in a greater number of hot days and a decrease in cool days.

The Bureau of Meteorology and the national science agency CSIRO noted in their biennial climate report that the oceans surrounding Australia are continuing to warm. This warming is primarily driven by rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, which are making the oceans more acidic, especially in the southern regions of the country.

According to CSIRO Research Manager Jaci Brown, rising sea levels around Australia pose a greater risk of flooding and damage to coastal infrastructure and communities.

As a significant agricultural producer, Australia has faced extreme weather events over the past decade, including frequent flooding, droughts, marine heatwaves, and devastating fires, many of which experts attribute to climate change.

The report revealed that heavy rainfall events are becoming more intense, with increases of approximately 10% or more in some areas. However, the average duration of droughts is expected to extend in the southern and eastern regions of the country in the coming decades.

Karl Braganza, climate services manager at the Bureau of Meteorology, stated that Australia is continuing to warm, with eight of the nine hottest years on record occurring since 2013.

"This warming has contributed to an increase in extreme fire weather and has extended fire seasons across many regions of the country," Braganza explained.

The report also suggested that a shift toward drier conditions between April and October in the southwest and southeast, along with reduced rainfall in the southwest, could become a permanent aspect of Australia’s climate.

Coastal flooding, which currently occurs sporadically, is expected to become a chronic issue later this century, while the warming and acidification of oceans will lead to more severe coral bleaching events, including those affecting the Great Barrier Reef.

Coral bleaching occurs when water temperatures rise too high, causing corals to expel the vibrant algae living within their tissues, resulting in a loss of color and turning white.

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Source: Reuters‍