Category Archives: Uncategorized

Australian Firefighters Climate Alliance‘s statement on CFA brigades anti-renewables strike It has been reported in the media that ‘at least 24 CFA brigades are taking strike action, refusing to fight fires on land hosting high-voltage transmission lines, solar or wind farms, over what they call the Victorian Government’s “reckless renewables expansion”. The Australian Firefighters ClimateContinue reading “JUNE 18, 2024: Threat to strike a disappointing intervention”

The Australian Firefighters Climate Alliance (AFCA) was born out of the desire for firefighters to have a voice on the increasingly concerning issue of climate change, which we are feeling first hand. We are a small, but steadily growing collective, dedicating ourselves to campaign for climate justice, and all its intersections. In 2022, we ranContinue reading “What’s happening with AFCA?”

If you were in Victoria on February 7, 2009 you probably have a memory of that day. The air was like a blast furnace, so oppressive it was hard to be outdoors for even a few minutes. Coming at the end of the Millennium Drought – often seen as the worst drought recorded since EuropeanContinue reading “Remembering Black Saturday. Preparing for the next Big One”

The science is clear: we need to act now to radically reduce greenhouse gas emissions if we are to have a hope of avoiding catastrophic climate change. Most people ‘get’ that climate change is real and is being driven by humans. But we are also very good at hoping the problem will somehow be workedContinue reading “OCT 2023: The view from the fireground: climate change is happening now”

According to reports in the media, documents leaked from Emergency Management Victoria show that Victoria’s water bombing capabilities ‘have been slashed by almost a third’. Compared with last summer, Victoria will have 15 instead of 18 water bombing helicopters and 17 rather than 20 water bombing aircraft. Victoria uses very efficient rapid response techniques to fightContinue reading “AUG 2023: AFCA responds to reduced air firefighting capacity in Victoria”

The science is clear: human induced climate change is driving longer and more intense fire seasons. Experts agree with this and most firefighters understand it. Yet there remains deep climate denial among many firefighters. According to research from Griffith University, only a tiny percentage of the population are outright climate change deniers. Many people areContinue reading “AUG 2023: We need to talk about climate change”

Response from AFCA to The Australian newspaper publishing this cartoon from John Spooner. We sent this to the paper but they did not publish it. According to NASA, wildfires across the world are getting worse. There has been a clear increase in the size, number and intensity of fires worldwide. In addition, the number ofContinue reading “JULY 2023: AFCA response to The Australian newspaper climate misinformation cartoon”

According to the national government’s Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), Australia’s severe droughts in recent decades have all been associated with El Nino conditions. The latest modelling from BOM says there is a 70% chance of an El Nino event in 2023. El Nino brings a much higher risk of a significant fire season in south-eastContinue reading “JULY 2023: Are we ready for El Nino?”