https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Bushfires have razed hundreds of buildings across southeast Australia, authorities said Sunday, as they confirmed the first death from the disaster. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-scores-homes-razed-dead-australian.html Environment Sun, 11 Jan 2026 14:08:32 EST news687362827 Australian authorities declared a state of disaster on Saturday after bushfires destroyed houses and razed vast belts of forest in the country's southeast. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-australia-declares-state-disaster-bushfires.html Environment Sat, 10 Jan 2026 07:00:01 EST news687247955 Across Australia there are a number of fire districts facing extreme or catastrophic fire danger ratings in this ongoing heat wave. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-home-district-extreme-catastrophic-danger.html Environment Thu, 08 Jan 2026 09:28:19 EST news687086881 Artificial intelligence (AI) can help transform how we understand and respond to the escalating threat of bushfires. We start this journey with the first imagery now available from the proto satellite launched by Muon Space earlier this year, as part of the FireSat program led by the global nonprofit Earth Fire Alliance. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-advancing-bushfire-preparedness-australia.html Environment Thu, 31 Jul 2025 09:14:04 EDT news673172042 From the inferno of Black Thursday in 1851 to the devastation of Black Summer starting at the end of 2019, bushfires have a powerful legacy in post-European settlement Victoria. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-years-bushfire-emergency.html Social Sciences Mon, 02 Jun 2025 10:18:54 EDT news668078325 Most older Australians recently surveyed by Flinders University would not follow the Country Fire Services' advice regarding catastrophic fire danger days. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-catastrophic-danger-days-older-australians.html Social Sciences Fri, 21 Mar 2025 11:40:03 EDT news661772517 Australian firefighters said Friday they were fighting to control a bushfire racing through a national park that has consumed an area the size of Singapore. https://phys.org/news/2024-12-australian-bushfire-area-size-singapore.html Environment Fri, 27 Dec 2024 04:00:01 EST news654494151 A recent bushfire in Kadnook, western Victoria, which destroyed at least one property and burned more than 1,000 hectares of land, is being investigated due to suspicion it was deliberately lit. https://phys.org/news/2024-12-bushfires-australia-deliberately-lit.html Social Sciences Mon, 09 Dec 2024 13:00:01 EST news652971381 The megafires that tore through Australia's forests in 2019–20 burnt more than 10 million hectares. The tragedy prompted a massive research effort to understand how plants and animals were affected. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-catastrophic-declines-massive-haul-reveals.html Plants & Animals Thu, 14 Nov 2024 12:23:29 EST news650809402 Australia's escalating bushfire crisis calls for an urgent, comprehensive national reset, according to a new report, "Pathways for Sustainable Coexistence with Wildfires." https://phys.org/news/2024-11-australia-bold-national-bushfire-strategy.html Environment Tue, 05 Nov 2024 08:54:31 EST news650019267 Australia has a long history of bushfires. The 2019-2020 Black Summer was the worst in recorded history. But was that the worst it could get? https://phys.org/news/2024-06-sea-salt-antarctic-snowfall-reveals.html Earth Sciences Thu, 13 Jun 2024 11:19:31 EDT news637496367 In the four years since the Black Summer bushfires, Australia has become more focused on how best to prepare for, fight and recover from these traumatic events. But one issue has largely flown under the radar: how the emissions produced by bushfires are measured and reported. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-dangerously-world-grim-reality-australia.html Earth Sciences Tue, 05 Mar 2024 12:41:04 EST news628864861 Disturbing natural forests with activities such as logging and prescribed burning can make them more flammable, research from The Australian National University (ANU) and Curtin University has found. The research is published in the journal Biological Reviews. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-aussie-forests-flammable.html Plants & Animals Mon, 22 Jan 2024 13:05:07 EST news625151105 A new publication featured in Veterinary Sciences will guide future wildlife rescue and rehabilitation after Australian bushfires. These findings provide critical information for improving koala care during subsequent fire seasons. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-reveal-koalas-health-bushfires-aid.html Plants & Animals Tue, 09 Jan 2024 17:56:02 EST news624045361 With hotter and drier conditions expected this summer, we can expect an increase in high fire danger days. So, it's good to be prepared. No property can ever be completely safe from bushfire, but there are some ways to address some of the weak links a bushfire may exploit. One of CSIRO's bushfire experts, Justin Leonard, has decades of experience in understanding how we can manage bushfire risk to life and infrastructure. He provides these tips to help prepare your home. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-expert-bushfires-safety-backyard.html Environment Mon, 08 Jan 2024 13:36:03 EST news623943362 AFAC, the National Council for fire and emergency services, has released the Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for Summer 2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-risky-season-eastern-central-australia.html Earth Sciences Thu, 30 Nov 2023 16:46:03 EST news620585161 Snapping a picture on your next bushwalk could help predict and prevent devastating bushfires, thanks to a new innovative mobile phone app, NOBURN, powered by AI developed by University of Adelaide experts. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-ai-bushfires.html Earth Sciences Thu, 02 Nov 2023 14:44:03 EDT news618155042 A UNSW Canberra researcher has developed a world-first warning system for extreme bushfires that can be an invaluable tool for firefighting services. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-extreme-bushfires.html Earth Sciences Fri, 27 Oct 2023 12:25:04 EDT news617628302 Australia's emerging pattern of severe mega bushfires and heavy rainfall may be driving platypuses from their homes, a new study by University of Melbourne researchers has shown. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-extreme-heavy-rainfall-platypuses-homes.html Plants & Animals Wed, 04 Oct 2023 04:42:32 EDT news615613348 Last year, campers had to evacuate because of floods. This year, they're evacuating because of fire. Over Victoria's long weekend, campers and residents in Gippsland had to flee fast-moving fires, driven by high winds. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-australian-authorities-summer.html Environment Tue, 03 Oct 2023 11:15:04 EDT news615550501 A study on social media activity during the Black Summer bushfires has revealed how the discussions changed through the phases of the disaster, and how critical social media is in disseminating information during natural disasters. The study was published in Forest Ecology and Management. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-bushfire-tweets-reveal-role-social.html Ecology Mon, 02 Oct 2023 13:14:03 EDT news615471241 The Northern Hemisphere summer brought catastrophic fires and floods to many countries. Down south, the winter was the hottest ever recorded in Australia, fueled by record ocean temperatures. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-summer.html Environment Mon, 18 Sep 2023 13:30:04 EDT news614262602 A smoky haze blanketed Australia's scenic Sydney Harbour on Wednesday, as a ring of controlled blazes burned on the city's fringes in preparation for the looming bushfire season. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-shrouds-sydney-landmarks-risky-bushfire.html Environment Wed, 13 Sep 2023 05:00:01 EDT news613799774 Canada has experienced an unprecedented wildfire season in 2023. People's experiences with any disaster event are influenced by social- and place-based vulnerabilities. For example, where you live affects your exposure to different hazards including wildfires and floods. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-canada-lack-recognition-gender-based-violence.html Social Sciences Mon, 11 Sep 2023 13:59:04 EDT news613659541 As the world warms and the climate changes, people are experiencing more frequent and intense extreme weather events. Just this year, heat waves blasted southern Europe, the United States and China; wildfires lit up Greece, Canada and Maui in Hawaii; and winter storms froze large parts of the U.S. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-bushfires-focus-attention-climate-months.html Environment Thu, 24 Aug 2023 13:07:04 EDT news612101222 AFAC, the National Council for fire and emergency services, has released the Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for spring 2023. It serves as a strong reminder to communities and businesses across the country to prepare now. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-dry-bushfire-australia.html Environment Wed, 23 Aug 2023 16:54:03 EDT news612028442 The upcoming bushfire season in Australia may be bad, but future years pose a more significant threat, says a University of New South Wales bushfire expert. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-expert-brace-bushfire-season-worse.html Earth Sciences Mon, 21 Aug 2023 12:28:03 EDT news611839681 Cold fronts play a role in making bushfires drastically worse—posing a serious concern for future bushfire events. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-bigger-wilder-destructive-cold-fronts.html Earth Sciences Thu, 20 Jul 2023 14:20:03 EDT news609081601 An El Niño event has arrived, according to the World Meteorological Organization, raising fears of record high global temperatures, extreme weather and, in Australia, a severe fire season. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-australia-hot-dry-el-niohere.html Earth Sciences Wed, 05 Jul 2023 12:06:05 EDT news607777562 The 2019-2020 bushfire season was devastating. Vast areas of pristine forest burned, many for the first time in memory. By some estimates, a billion native animals died up and down Australia's east coast. Dozens of people died. https://phys.org/news/2023-05-black-summer-triple-la-nina.html Earth Sciences Sat, 13 May 2023 11:10:01 EDT news603029036