According to a report by the Climate Council of Australia entitled "Be Prepared: The Changing Climate and Australia's Bushfire Threat" Australian fire services will need to double their numbers of firefighters by 2030 to cope with the increased bushfire risk caused by climate change.
According to the report, Australia has experienced its hottest 12 months on record and future fire seasons are expected to continue to extend into October and March in coming years. It asserts that by 2030 the number of professional firefighters should double the 2010 numbers, to keep pace with the growing population and bushfire risk.
The report also argues that, in the short term, governments need to ensure that fire services are adequately resourced to fight an increased number of blazes. In the long term, the privately-funded report contends that Australia needs to stop using fossil fuels and develop renewable energies to reduce carbon emissions.
