Modern Australian

Contrary to common belief, some forests get more fire-resistant with age

  • Written by Philip Zylstra, Research Fellow, flammability and fire behaviour, University of Wollongong

An out-of-season bushfire raged through Sydney’s southwest at the weekend, burning more than 2,400 hectares and threatening homes.

As the fire season extends and heatwaves become more frequent, it’s vital to preserve our natural protections. My research, recently released in the journal Austral Ecology, contradict one of the central...