Firefighters across the country are today launching the #ClimateFire campaign. Driven by a shared value of meaningful climate action, grassroots firefighters are getting organised. The Australian Firefighters Climate Alliance unites volunteer and career firefighters who want to see their governments commit to meaningful climate action.
Firefighters are on the frontlines of Climate Change and they see firsthand how conditions are deteriorating. The challenge of keeping our homes and towns safe in a warming climate is becoming untenable.
In just a few decades the fires of Black Summer will be standard and most of the recommendations from the Bushfire Royal Commission have been parked on the shelf. The only solution is to join the global effort in reducing emissions as quickly as possible.
“We know that we have a narrow window to act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions if we are to have a hope of avoiding climate catastrophe” said volunteer firefighter Cam Walker. “We also know that failure to act will mean ever worse fires, drought, floods and heatwaves in coming years”.
“In just a few decades, we’ll regularly see 50° degree days, you can’t fight fires in that heat”
Bushfires are becoming more frequent and bushfire season is lasting longer because of climate change. Unless we act now to reduce our emissions in line with what climate science suggests, we will become locked in to ever worsening fire seasons.”
“Firefighters are on the frontline of climate change. We see the impacts of fire seasons that are longer and more intense” said firefighter Darin Sullivan. “Fire behaviour is changing, and changing for the worse. Climate change causes extreme weather, which in turn causes bushfires and other natural disasters. This is our workplace, and it is becoming more and more unsafe”.
“The federal government must commit to slashing emissions by at least 75% by 2030.
On Monday January 24, firefighters will start to make their demands clear through decentralised, personal actions. These can be found on these platforms:
Full details here.
https://australianfirefightersclimatealliance.org/home/2022-summer-campaign/
On our facebook page is here.
https://www.facebook.com/ausfca
You can find us on Instagram here.
And through the hashtag #ClimateFire
Media comment
Vivien Thomson, AFSM (NSW) 0408 282899
Darin Sullivan (NSW) 0422 436 044
Australian Firefighters Climate Alliance 