Islands on fire: Fire and threatened species patterns across Australia's islands

A quarter of Australia's islands, each larger than 1 km², experienced at least 10 fire events over the past two decades, with some, like K’gari (Fraser Island) and Kangaroo Island, suffering severe burns exceeding 30% of their land area. While fire is a natural part of these ecosystems, human population size significantly influences fire intensity, which in turn affects threatened species richness. The study, using remote sensing and long-term datasets, reveals that large, intense fires may pose a threat to island biodiversity, potentially undermining their role as safe havens for endangered species. Collaboration among researchers, practitioners, Indigenous peoples, and stakeholders is highlighted as crucial for future fire management and conservation efforts.

O’Dwyer, A., Kark, S., & Levin, N. (2025). Islands on fire: Fire and threatened species patterns across Australia’s islands. Biological Conservation, 310, 111335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111335