Creating the perfect firestorm on the BBC writes about two of the slow variables that produce a fire situation: climate and fuel accumulation:
Current climate projections point to an increase in fire-weather risk from warmer and drier conditions.
Two simulations used by Australia’s lead scientific agency, CSIRO, and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology point to the number of days with very high and extreme fire danger ratings increasing by some 4-25% by 2020, and 15-70% by 2050.
The agencies’ Climate Change in Australia report cites the example of Canberra which may be looking at an annual average of 26-29 very high or extreme fire danger days by 2020 and 28-38 days by 2050.