Extreme events

Fire danger: topography, weather and fuel

The ‘fire behaviour triangle’ – topography, weather and fuel – represents the three key factors that influence how a bushfire behaves. Weaken any one of these and a bushfire becomes more manageable.

Bushfire resilience: preparing yourself and your property

Building bushfire resilience to preserve life and property requires consideration of buildings, individuals, communities and the environment.

Bushfire-proof houses: raising the standards

Designing houses to withstand bushfire is about balancing not only the bushfire resilience of the house but also the aesthetic qualities and functionality. Researchers have helped develop a new standard with the housing industry for bushfire-proofing steel framed houses.

Paris, truffles and extreme weather – it’s all relative

Crocodiles stuck in the mud - researchers are discovering that native species have their limits when it comes to Australia's extreme weather, particularly during El Niño.

Climate change and extreme weather: understanding the link

There is a strong interest in understanding the changing odds of extreme weather events as the underlying climate system changes. Scientists have examined extreme weather events of 2014 to see if they can be attributed to climate change.

Severe La Niña events predicted to double

A team looking at the effect of a warming climate on the frequency and severity of La Niña events has found they are likely to be twice as frequent in future.

Bushfires kill, but knowing exactly how might make them less deadly

The latest round of bushfires, which claimed 27 homes in the Adelaide Hills, has once again highlighted the importance of planning for the worst. Mercifully, no human lives were lost, and it will be important to learn whatever lessons we can to avoid future tragedies.