>>pjc50+n8
I recall also reading that Australia did not undertake sufficient controlled burns this year to reduce the amount of combustible fuel in the bush. There has been a lot of finger-pointing to suggest that this is because of the Green Party (and their supporters) pushing back on controlled burns. This push back has been around for some time now (2013:
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/miranda-devine/green...). It has come to a head recently with arguments between the National Party and the Greens (
https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/greens-polici...), with the Greens now saying they do support controlled burns.
I'm not familiar with Australian politics deeply, and I think drier conditions can make fires worse (by adding more plant matter to the fuel stores in the bush), but I think there are many factors involved, especially considering Australia has a regularly recurring bushfire season historically.