Anthony Albanese advised residents of New South Wales to start planning for the forthcoming wildfire season as he warned that the repercussions of climate change were unavoidable.
The intense Black Summer flames that tore across half a million hectares of the state’s south coast in 2019–20 were there when the prime minister visited Shoalhaven on Tuesday.
He claimed that efforts at rehabilitation assisted in the “land coming back stronger than it was before” following the “tragedy and such trauma” of the destructive fires.
However, Mr. Albanese cautioned that it was impossible to “defy science” and that his administration was advancing plans to better prepare the state for bushfire season.
At a press conference, he assured reporters that “no politician who is serious can stand and say that they can guarantee that there will never be a natural disaster again in this country.”
People expect their governments to be realistic, to act in a timely manner, and to take immediate action, which is what we’re doing.
It occurs at a time when the country is beginning to dry up after La Nina, which caused three years of severe rain and flooding and will now put susceptible areas at risk of bushfires this season.
The potential recurrence of an El Nino event, which might set off a blistering fire season this year and bring hotter and drier conditions, was warned of by climate experts.
The Bureau of Meteorology stated earlier in July that there was a 70% possibility the weather phenomena could develop, despite the fact that it has not yet been formally declared an event.
In order to “prepare as best as possible” to lessen the impact of disasters, the prime minister promised that citizens, localities, and the government would cooperate during this fire season.
“We’ve just experienced an exceptionally wet time. But science and climatologists inform us that a dry season is imminent,” he remarked.
The time is now to clear out your gutters, maintain short lawns, trim back overhanging bushes and trees, remove dead vegetation and fallen leaves and check that all of your property’s access points are wide and tall enough to accommodate a fire engine.
Mr. Albanese declared climate change to be a “national security issue” and promised to keep pushing for better fire safety infrastructure.
“This week may have featured Europe’s two warmest days on record, according to historical records. This is what happened, he declared.
“The previous administration spent ten years lying, delaying, and denying this.
They tried 22 different energy policies without success. You are aware of our actions? We have a single policy that we have implemented with appropriate targets, a plan, and actions from the entire government to ensure that we can handle the difficulties posed by climate change.
The Labour administration has given resources to communities, added a national air tanker to the New South Wales fleet, and established new fire danger assessment systems.
Murray Watt, the minister of emergency management, will meet with state emergency ministers in August to discuss options for reducing fuel loads.
