freelance science journalist and author
From Nature, 19 November 2023: The southern hemisphere is facing a summer of extremes, say scientists, as climate change amplifies the effects of natural climate variability. This comes in the wake of a summer in the northern hemisphere that saw extreme heatwaves across Europe, China and North America, setting new records for both daytime and … Continue reading Record-breaking summer set to hit southern hemisphere
From The Saturday Paper, 24 September 2022: A showdown is looming between local and state governments over who is financially responsible for nearly $150 million worth of Rural Fire Service trucks and firefighting equipment in New South Wales, the so-called “red fleet”. On one side are 68 local governments who argue the law that puts … Continue reading Stalemate over rural fire fleet
I chat with Susanne Courtney and BBC5 Live ‘Up All Night’ listeners about the effect of Australia’s devastating bushfire season. Listen here.
Is Australia’s fire the world’s future, asks NPR Philadelphia? Listen here.
From MIT Technology Review, 17 January 2020: The first bushfire alert that Eleanor Limprecht got was a text message she received on the morning of New Year’s Eve. She was staying with her family for Christmas, holed up in Narrawallee on the south coast of New South Wales—a popular holiday destination. When the warning came … Continue reading Australia had plans to prevent fire blackouts. They just weren’t ready in time.
From USA Today, 14 January 2010: We have evacuated from our house in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, twice already in Australia’s bushfire season, and it’s not even halfway through summer. After the second time, just a few weeks ago in December, we returned to a scorched block of land. The fire came so … Continue reading I wasn’t prepared for bushfires this menacing. Even now, Australia doesn’t have a plan.
From The Scientist, 10 January 2020: Unprecedented Australian wildfires have extracted a heavy toll from the continent’s unique wildlife, with an estimated 1 billion animals killed, 10.7 million hectares (approximately 41,300 square miles) burned on the east coast, and more than 150 fires still burning in two states alone, according to news reports and the … Continue reading Scientists take stock of Australian wildlife devastated by fires
From MIT Technology Review, 25 April 2019: The Blue Mountains are burning. I stand in the doorway of our home and take a long look around: the handmade rugs, the jumble of artworks, the shelves crammed with books, the scattered toys. The house is a tinderbox: wooden walls, doors, balcony, window frames, all built into … Continue reading Inside Australia’s plan to survive bigger, badder bushfires
Bianca Nogrady 