Phil Koperberg knows bushfires.He’s spent his whole life fighting them.For 10 years he was on the front line as NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner.
Before that, he was the Director-General of the NSW Bush Fire Service
And now he represents some of our most bushfire-vulnerable countrymen in as the member for the Blue Mountains.
So when he comes out and says firefighters are going to have to adjust what they do because of global warming - it’s worth listening to.
This morning, in the face of the worst bushfires ever experienced by this nation, he stated categorically that fires are now behaving in different ways because of global warming.
“There will be a revision now (due to) climate change,” he said on Sydney radio.
“Fires are behaving differently in many, many ways. The fuel conditions change according to the amount of rainfall, according to the amount of moisture content in the fuel.
“And these are the challenges ahead of fire authorities in the next 20 to 30 years.”
These simple words are something those who make a living out of denying the existence of climate change should read very carefully. Even with all our technology more people than any other bushfire episode in our history, 130, have died.
The Andrew Bolts, the John Howards and the Piers Akermans of this world should feel very nervous.
It is them who will be condemned over the next 30 years as we start to see such events more and more.
(Keep in mind on Saturday Melbourne had it’s hottest day ever, at 46.4, since records were first kept in 1850 and has experienced a heatwave without precedent in 100 years.)
In fact, I’ve got a great idea so we don’t fail to forget all those people who - as of 2009 - are still denying humans are beginning to irreversibly change our only home.
The people who are the public mouth pieces for big business and vested interest who are making too much money to want to change their ways.
The Bolts and the Akermans and their ilk should have their names carved in stone – which cannot be scorched by any fire. And I’ll put my name in stone too.
A stone we can consult in say, 30 years time, when all the evidence is in.
Because where as if I’m wrong I’ll look like a fool, if they’re wrong by then we’ll be headed down a road – to paraphrase Kevin Rudd – to hell.
credited to livenews.com.au
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