Uploaded January 2020 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Arson? Lack of hazard reduction? Nothing new? This video looks at what fire chiefs and scientists say is the REAL cause of the 2019-2020 fires in Australia, in response to amateur theories proposed by media commentators and bloggers. -- Potholer54
CORRECTIONS:
1) The pronunciation of Bourke rhymes with 'Turk' not 'torque.'
2) The police report on the screen shows 53 legal actions for failing to comply with the fire ban, I accidentally said 57 in the voiceover.
3) One poster has commented: "You said that 83% of hazard reduction burns have been carried out. But that was referring to all bushfire protection works mentioned, not just hazard reduction.
The hazard reduction percentage is 76%."
I have not had time to verify this.
SOURCES:
0:04 -- The Golden Globes 2019.
1:06 -- theconversation.com/is-australias-current-drought-caused-by-climate-change-its-complicated-97867
1:27 -- Chris Kenny, Sky News
1:33 – Terry McCrann, Herald Sun
1:47 -- wattsupwiththat.com/2020/01/05/bush-bull
2:23 – Tony Heller, youtube.com/watch?v=rxJTZvRl13Q
2:53 -- http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/data/acorn-sat/
3:06 – Ibid.
See also “Australian Climate Trends” Bureau of Meteorology, Feb 2018
3:50 -- youtube.com/watch?v=rxJTZvRl13Q
4:33 -- http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/dwo/201912/html/IDCJDW2016.201912.shtml
4:57 -- Paul Joseph Watson
youtube.com/watch?v=B_tn8f0uaB4&t=3s
6:32 -- www.3aw.com.au/no-silver-bullet-another-authority-talks-down-controlled-burns-as-australian-fire-prevention
8:28 – http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/
9:00 -- https://www.smh.com.au/national/this-is-not-normal-what-s-different-about-the-nsw-mega-fires-20191110-p5395e.html
9:16 – “Bushfire Weather in Southeast Australia: Recent
Trends and Projected Climate Change Impacts” – Lucas et al., Sep 2007
For a worldwide perspective, see also “Climate-induced variations in global wildfire danger from 1979 to 2013” – Jolly et al Nature Communications 2015
9:48 -- “Changes in Australian weather between 1973 and 2010” – Clarke and Lucas, International Journal of Climatology 2012
10:08 -- youtube.com/watch?v=wbyBKGc_T1Y&t=2634s.
10:38 -- Paul John Watson
youtube.com/watch?v=B_tn8f0uaB4&t=3s
10:48 -- Australian Institute of Criminology stats tabulated by Fairfax media
11:13 -- youtube.com/watch?v=8jAXAf3-4SE
11:16 – James Delingpole, Breitbart News
12:02 -- https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/bushfires-firebugs-fuelling-crisis-asarson-arresttollhits183/news-story/52536dc9ca9bb87b7c76d36ed1acf53f
12:23 -- www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/news_article?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGZWJpenByZC5wb2xpY2UubnN3Lmdvdi5hdSUyRm1lZGlhJTJGODIyNjQuaHRtbCZhbGw9MQ%3D%3D
13:46 -- https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-11/australias-fires-reveal-arson-not-a-major-cause/11855022
14:06 -- www.3aw.com.au/no-silver-bullet-another-authority-talks-down-controlled-burns-as-australian-fire-prevention
14:12 -- www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/victoria-police-rejects-social-media-campaign-claiming-arson-caused-fires-20200108-p53pwj.html
15:07 -- https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-11/australias-fires-reveal-arson-not-a-major-cause/11855022
16:24 -- youtube.com/watch?v=wbyBKGc_T1Y&t=2634s
17:21 – https://greens.org.au/bushfires
17:46 -- youtube.com/watch?v=NoEYok70dxQ 1
19:33 -- www.3aw.com.au/no-silver-bullet-another-authority-talks-down-controlled-burns-as-australian-fire-prevention
20:17 -- theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/nov/12/is-there-really-a-green-conspiracy-to-stop-bushfire-hazard-reduction
20:43 -- www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-07/fuel-reduction-burn-debate-rubbish-says-vic-fire-chief/11849522
22:29 -- Chris Kenny, Sky News youtube.com/watch?v=GJEavnE15lI
22:49 -- Dr. Sarah Perkins Kirkpatrick, senior researcher on climate at the UNSW, interviewed for BBC Science in Action.
23:24 -- “Deluge and drought: Australia’s water security in a changing climate” – Climate Council, 2018
24:09 – Dr. Andy Pitman comments broadcast on ABC Media Watch
25:53 -- http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/history/ln-2010-12/IOD-what.shtml
28:03 -- “What causes southeast Australia’s worst droughts?” -- Ummenhofer et al., Geophysical Research Letters, 2009
28:13 – “Climate change contributes to more frequent consecutive positive Indian Ocean Dipole events” – Cai and Cohen, Geophysical Research Letters, 2009
29:44 - youtube.com/watch?v=Hx7vhy2_O5Y
34:10 - www.businessinsider.com.au/australian-bushfires-cost-economy-surplus-government-spending-2020-1
www.fiveaa.com.au/news/supermarket-food-prices-are-expected-go-because-bushfires
See also “Big firms at risk if drought isn’t broken soon” The Australian, Sep 11 2019
35:40 – “Garnaut Climate Change Review” 2007
35:35 -- “National Inquiry on Bushfire Mitigation and Management” – Ellis et al., 2004
Arson? Lack of hazard reduction? Nothing new? This video looks at what fire chiefs and scientists say is the REAL cause of the 2019-2020 fires in Australia, in response to amateur theories proposed by media commentators and bloggers. -- Potholer54
CORRECTIONS:
1) The pronunciation of Bourke rhymes with 'Turk' not 'torque.'
2) The police report on the screen shows 53 legal actions for failing to comply with the fire ban, I accidentally said 57 in the voiceover.
3) One poster has commented: "You said that 83% of hazard reduction burns have been carried out. But that was referring to all bushfire protection works mentioned, not just hazard reduction.
The hazard reduction percentage is 76%."
I have not had time to verify this.
SOURCES:
0:04 -- The Golden Globes 2019.
1:06 -- theconversation.com/is-australias-current-drought-caused-by-climate-change-its-complicated-97867
1:27 -- Chris Kenny, Sky News
1:33 – Terry McCrann, Herald Sun
1:47 -- wattsupwiththat.com/2020/01/05/bush-bull
2:23 – Tony Heller, youtube.com/watch?v=rxJTZvRl13Q
2:53 -- http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/data/acorn-sat/
3:06 – Ibid.
See also “Australian Climate Trends” Bureau of Meteorology, Feb 2018
3:50 -- youtube.com/watch?v=rxJTZvRl13Q
4:33 -- http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/dwo/201912/html/IDCJDW2016.201912.shtml
4:57 -- Paul Joseph Watson
youtube.com/watch?v=B_tn8f0uaB4&t=3s
6:32 -- www.3aw.com.au/no-silver-bullet-another-authority-talks-down-controlled-burns-as-australian-fire-prevention
8:28 – http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/
9:00 -- https://www.smh.com.au/national/this-is-not-normal-what-s-different-about-the-nsw-mega-fires-20191110-p5395e.html
9:16 – “Bushfire Weather in Southeast Australia: Recent
Trends and Projected Climate Change Impacts” – Lucas et al., Sep 2007
For a worldwide perspective, see also “Climate-induced variations in global wildfire danger from 1979 to 2013” – Jolly et al Nature Communications 2015
9:48 -- “Changes in Australian weather between 1973 and 2010” – Clarke and Lucas, International Journal of Climatology 2012
10:08 -- youtube.com/watch?v=wbyBKGc_T1Y&t=2634s.
10:38 -- Paul John Watson
youtube.com/watch?v=B_tn8f0uaB4&t=3s
10:48 -- Australian Institute of Criminology stats tabulated by Fairfax media
11:13 -- youtube.com/watch?v=8jAXAf3-4SE
11:16 – James Delingpole, Breitbart News
12:02 -- https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/bushfires-firebugs-fuelling-crisis-asarson-arresttollhits183/news-story/52536dc9ca9bb87b7c76d36ed1acf53f
12:23 -- www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/news_article?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGZWJpenByZC5wb2xpY2UubnN3Lmdvdi5hdSUyRm1lZGlhJTJGODIyNjQuaHRtbCZhbGw9MQ%3D%3D
13:46 -- https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-11/australias-fires-reveal-arson-not-a-major-cause/11855022
14:06 -- www.3aw.com.au/no-silver-bullet-another-authority-talks-down-controlled-burns-as-australian-fire-prevention
14:12 -- www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/victoria-police-rejects-social-media-campaign-claiming-arson-caused-fires-20200108-p53pwj.html
15:07 -- https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-11/australias-fires-reveal-arson-not-a-major-cause/11855022
16:24 -- youtube.com/watch?v=wbyBKGc_T1Y&t=2634s
17:21 – https://greens.org.au/bushfires
17:46 -- youtube.com/watch?v=NoEYok70dxQ 1
19:33 -- www.3aw.com.au/no-silver-bullet-another-authority-talks-down-controlled-burns-as-australian-fire-prevention
20:17 -- theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/nov/12/is-there-really-a-green-conspiracy-to-stop-bushfire-hazard-reduction
20:43 -- www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-07/fuel-reduction-burn-debate-rubbish-says-vic-fire-chief/11849522
22:29 -- Chris Kenny, Sky News youtube.com/watch?v=GJEavnE15lI
22:49 -- Dr. Sarah Perkins Kirkpatrick, senior researcher on climate at the UNSW, interviewed for BBC Science in Action.
23:24 -- “Deluge and drought: Australia’s water security in a changing climate” – Climate Council, 2018
24:09 – Dr. Andy Pitman comments broadcast on ABC Media Watch
25:53 -- http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/history/ln-2010-12/IOD-what.shtml
28:03 -- “What causes southeast Australia’s worst droughts?” -- Ummenhofer et al., Geophysical Research Letters, 2009
28:13 – “Climate change contributes to more frequent consecutive positive Indian Ocean Dipole events” – Cai and Cohen, Geophysical Research Letters, 2009
29:44 - youtube.com/watch?v=Hx7vhy2_O5Y
34:10 - www.businessinsider.com.au/australian-bushfires-cost-economy-surplus-government-spending-2020-1
www.fiveaa.com.au/news/supermarket-food-prices-are-expected-go-because-bushfires
See also “Big firms at risk if drought isn’t broken soon” The Australian, Sep 11 2019
35:40 – “Garnaut Climate Change Review” 2007
35:35 -- “National Inquiry on Bushfire Mitigation and Management” – Ellis et al., 2004
