Get the appVictoria will expand its AI-powered bushfire camera network from seven to 11 cameras by 2027, with $3.8 million in funding. The cameras, which detected 40 fires in 2023/24 and 46 in 2024/25, provide 24-hour monitoring and early alerts. Emergency Services Minister Paul Edbrooke says the expansion will help firefighters respond faster to bushfires, with high risks forecast due to El Niño and dry conditions.
Bushfires could cost Australia $181.7 billion over the next 30 years, according to economic modelling released by Emergency Leaders for Climate Action. The study found the losses would average $6 billion a year as fires become more frequent and intense. Reducing bushfire damage by one fifth could prevent $39.4 billion in losses, researchers said. Recommended measures include upgrading homes to the national bushfire standard, early-detection technology and back-up power for mobile phone towers. Co-author Janice Lee said the estimates were conservative.
A new report commissioned by Emergency Leaders for Climate Action says Australia's fire seasons have lengthened by 21 per cent since 1979. The group estimates the longer seasons could cost the economy $6 billion a year over the next 30 years. Most of that cost is linked to harm to health and wellbeing. Former Fire and Rescue NSW commissioner Greg Mullins says better protection of homes and infrastructure could avoid $600 million in losses each year.
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Get the appAustralia is on track to record its wettest El Nino year yet, with widespread showers and thunderstorms forecast over the coming week. Parts of Queensland and northern New South Wales could receive more than 50mm of rain. Sydney has already had more than 100mm this week, and Queensland has seen severe flash flooding. The Bureau of Meteorology says the El Nino has reached a record strength, and warmer-than-average conditions are also expected over the next three months.
Australia is on track to record its wettest El Niño year, with above-average national winter-spring rainfall for the first time. Storms have already drenched Sydney with more than 100 millimetres and caused flash flooding in central Queensland. Forecasters expect showers and thunderstorms to affect more than half the country over the coming week, with some Queensland and northern NSW areas possibly exceeding 50 millimetres. November is also tipped to be wetter than normal across most of the country, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
The Pacific Ocean could experience the effects of global warming for centuries after the world reaches net-zero emissions, according to a study by University of Melbourne researchers. The modelling found the ocean retains a long memory of past emissions because the deep ocean takes hundreds or thousands of years to release heat. Global warming could also cause a lasting shift towards El Niño-like conditions in the Pacific. The researchers said cutting emissions sooner could limit these changes. The findings come weeks before ocean-related climate threats are expected to feature at the COP31 talks in Antalya, Turkey.
A forest fire on Indonesia's Sumatra island has destroyed nearly 300 homes and forced hundreds of people to evacuate, an official says. Residents first tried to put out the fire in Bangka Belitung province on Saturday using portable water pumps. Winds then shifted and drove the fire into the village, which was built on former peatland. The government says conditions are the worst in a decade, and the fires could continue until November. Wildlife has also been hit, with at least 46 critically endangered orangutans rescued since August.
Research suggests extreme El Niño years will become more common as the world warms, driven by greenhouse gas emissions. Scientists say the tropical Pacific could remain in an El Niño-like state for centuries, even after net zero is reached. Models show the longer the delay in reaching net zero, the more extreme El Niños are likely to occur. The findings suggest a slower route to net zero could bring more risks and higher costs for future generations.
Australian canola production is forecast to reach a record 8.1 million tonnes in 2026/27, more than 15 per cent above the five year average, according to Rabobank. Prices are hovering above $800 a tonne, the highest in several years. Nearly 60 per cent of the crop will come from Western Australia, where planting area has increased 41 per cent. Growers in southern Queensland and New South Wales faced tougher conditions, with dry weather forcing some to skip sowing canola.
A total fire ban applied across greater Sydney on Monday as temperatures rose above 35C in the city's west. The Bureau of Meteorology said extreme fire danger was expected due to hot, dry conditions and possible thunderstorms with little rain. Parramatta reached 34.5C and Olympic Park recorded 35.2C by Monday evening. NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner Trent Curtin warned that dry lightning could start fires in western and central parts of the state.
Deniliquin weather forecaster Steve Briggs says there is no chance of an El Niño event this year or early next year. He said a weak event may occur between March and May. Briggs also said he still predicts a severe drought for 2028 to 2030, citing his long-range forecasts over the past five years. El Niño typically brings dry and warm conditions to eastern and southern Australia, reducing rainfall and soil moisture and increasing heatwave and bushfire risk. Briggs' claims about the drought and its causes are his own and are not confirmed by the source.
Global wheat prices are climbing because trade routes are disrupted, not because the world is short of grain, according to new Rabobank research. Analyst Vitor Pistoia says futures markets point to stronger prices into 2027. The same pressures are lifting costs for Australian growers, with fertiliser the largest risk. Pistoia says Australia could gain an edge in Asian markets because northern hemisphere shipping routes are longer and more disrupted.
A powerful El Niño is developing in the tropical Pacific, and forecasters say it could reach record strength this winter. Scientists are still studying how climate change interacts with the event, though evidence suggests warming may be strengthening El Niño cycles. Researchers including Christopher Callahan and Francisco Estrada say the combined effects could produce unusual weather and serious risks for societies and reefs. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration projects peak warming well above the 1982-1983 record. California has declared a state emergency, and the UN has called for urgent adaptation.
Far North Queensland has been unusually wet and cool, while much of the rest of Queensland has stayed dry. The Bureau of Meteorology says those conditions are expected to continue through spring, before temperatures rise from December. Some areas received up to six times their average September rainfall. Growers say the weather has slowed production and delayed flowering for bananas, avocados and passionfruit. Forecasters say warmer sea temperatures could increase the risk of severe tropical cyclones forming.
California faces a potentially historic El Niño event, with experts warning of extreme weather impacts including landslides, flash floods, and rising sea levels. The climate phenomenon, already underway, is expected to intensify through autumn and winter, posing significant risks to the state's infrastructure and communities. Authorities are preparing for compounded hazards, with Governor Gavin Newsom declaring a state of emergency to mobilise resources. Coastal areas are particularly vulnerable, with efforts underway to reinforce seawalls and protect against erosion. Residents are being urged to prepare for a range of potential hazards, from heavy rainfall to high temperatures and wildfire risks.
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Get the appQueensland farmers are being urged to prepare for a potentially challenging summer, with active El Niño conditions increasing the likelihood of bushfires and severe storms. The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) says early preparation can reduce the impact of natural disasters and help businesses respond and recover faster. Key measures include reviewing emergency plans, securing fodder supplies, and maintaining firebreaks.