We know that climate change, which causes increased heat and extended drought, has been a key driver in increasing the risk and extent of wildfires in Australia for more than two decades, and that climate change fuelled Australia’s devastating black summer fires. We also know that if we are to have a hope of avoiding Read more

As firefighters, we can see that human induced climate change is making fire seasons longer and more intense. However, during big fires where there is lots of media coverage and commentary on social media, such as the current ones that are devastating large areas around Los Angeles, right wing and conservative commentators seek to control Read more

The admin team at the Australia Firefighters Climate Alliance (AFCA), have just launched a members only Facebook group. This group is for those in the firefighting/fire management space across so called Australia to come together and discuss climate justice in relation to firefighting. We are in the process of defining AFCA’s purpose & structure, and Read more

JUNE 30, 2024. There are reports that a turbine caught fire in western Victoria yesterday. We have to expect that anti renewables activists will use this to try and inflame opposition to the further development of technologies like wind and solar. But does anyone remember the fire that burnt for 45 days in the Hazelwood Read more

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 Climate Read more

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 ran Read more

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 European Read more

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 worked Read more

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 fight Read more

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 are Read more

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 of Read more

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-east Read more

Fire ready policies Jul 05, 2022 We know that Australia is facing ever worse climate change driven disasters (‘UnNatural’ disasters). These include worsening fire seasons, longer heatwaves, increased flooding and longer droughts. The following are some suggestions on how Australia should be responding to longer and more intense fire seasons. Having a new national government Read more

Our first campaign aimed to mobilise grassroots fire fighters to get active and call on the (then Coalition) federal government to take meaningful action on climate change (you can read about the campaign here). Now, as we look towards the summer of 2022/23 we would love to hear your thoughts on what next. What campaign Read more

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 Read more