I grew up in Tasmania, immersed in bush fire smoke during summers. As I travelled through the US and other places, I thought I was going nuts because I kept see

I grew up in Tasmania, immersed in bush fire smoke during summers. As I travelled through the US and other places, I thought I was going nuts because I kept seeing trees that shouldn’t be there at all. Now I know why… When you get stands of gum (eucalyptus) trees, you also get fast spreading tree-top fires since the living leaves of gum burn ferociously. Gum trees in urban areas or non-native areas are bad, bad news.