Last summer Victoria experienced widespread and destructive fires.
In response, the Victorian parliament established a multi party Inquiry into the 2026 bushfires. In its final report it made the following finding:
FINDING 2: Climate change is a key contributor to bushfire conditions and is contributing to the frequency and intensity of bushfires in the state.
This view is supported by scientists and fire agencies across the country and around the world.
Fire fighters and other emergency responders witness first hand the impacts of longer fire seasons. Exhaustion, financial stress, pressure on family and relationships, increased likelihood of injury, and mental health challenges are all things that can impact individuals who are expected to contribute more time and effort on fires.
What do longer seasons mean for us as firefighters?
The Australian Firefighter Climate Alliance (AFCA) has launched a short survey so we can better understand fire fighter views on:
- Whether their lived experience is that fire seasons are getting longer
- If so, what is behind the changes
- How individual firefighters and agencies could be better supported to prepare for these conditions, and
- How governments should respond to the challenges that will come with longer seasons.
The survey is open to everyone but we are especially interested in the views of all emergency responders: fire fighters, support workers, SES members, community resilience groups, etc.
Please take 2 minutes to share your views
The survey will close on December 1, and a report on the findings will be made available, and posted on the AFCA website shortly after that.
Please share this in your teams and among your friends and encourage them to add their views.