Impact of Climate Change on Weather Related Fire Risk in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Climate Change and Bushfire Research Initiative

Climate change is projected to significantly alter fire regimes in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA), with profound implications for its ecological values. The study, using Climate Futures for Tasmania data, predicts a substantial increase in dryness, extending summer conditions by about eight weeks by 2100 and reducing the window for planned burning by half due to shorter spring and autumn seasons. This shift, already evident from the 2010s, threatens fire-sensitive species like king-billy pine, pencil pine, huon pine, and deciduous beech, potentially reversing decades of progress in fire management. The research highlights the need for adaptive strategies to mitigate these impacts.

Love, P., Fox-Hughes, P., Remenyi, T., Harris, R., & Bindoff, N. (2017). Impact of Climate Change on Weather Related Fire Risk in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Climate Change and Bushfire Research Initiative. Antarctic Climate & Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre. https://doi.org/10.25959/RQFV-7G06