Australia’s fires and climate change

Burning away: Fire lines south of Eden, New South Wales, Australia, are seen in this Maxar WorldView-3 satellite image taken on Jan 12. — Handout via Reuters Maxar’s Technologies Handout via Reuters

AMONG the reactions kindled by Australia’s raging wildfire in Malaysia, perhaps the most deeply felt has been the awe of seeing man and the world which he had built being brought face to face with the power and authority of nature. Imagine the confusion when the language coming out of Australia was not one of awe but anger; anger not at nature but at man’s inability to confront nature’s power.

We may be forgiven for thinking that this anger expressed the sentiments of Australia’s climate change activists. While it has certainly amplified their argument – that the fires were caused by climate change – its origin may lie elsewhere.