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Scientists say fire-loving Tasmanian blue gums not to blame for LA fires https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-10/tas-bluegums-role-in-la-wildfires/104803650 htt

Scientists say fire-loving Tasmanian blue gums not to blame for LA fires https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-10/tas-bluegums-role-in-la-wildfires/104803650 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-10/tas-bluegums-role-in-... David Bowman, a professor of pyrogeography at the University of Tasmania, said while the trees were a contributing factor to Los Angeles current fires, the story was far more complex. He said the city's naturally dry landscape, the high amounts of fuel that had accumulated, and strong wind conditions were major contributing factors. The region's own fire-prone native flora also needed to be taken into account, he said. .. Greg Moore, a tree ecologist at the University of Melbourne, also cautioned against concluding the ( various Australian ) native trees were to blame. He said an investigation into the cause of the fire would need to be conducted to determine what started the fires, and what role the trees may have played. California naturally has a lot of highly flammable trees and shrubbery (like Australia). It's not clear that the Australian imports are more flammable than that which they replace.

hilbert42 2y ago
As someone from Australia, I love eucalyptus trees, they're quintessentially Australian. So do most other Australians, so those here coming to their defence is not a bit surprising. I do not know to what extent the eucalyptus trees played in the Los Angeles fire and I'd suggest that at present no one does—and they won't until a proper scientific/forensic analysis has been undertaken—and with due respect to the learned people you've quoted, neither do they. The fact remains that in California our beloved eucalyptus trees are a both an invasive species and a dangerous, fire-prone hazard, and prudent thinking ought side on getting rid of them.
- defrost 2y ago
  > so those here coming to their defence is not a bit surprising. Who came to their defence? The debate about eucalyptus trees goes back many many decades and the fuel load management question is the big one. Take down the Blue Gums (and friends) and allow no other trees to replace them is one option, sure, that's a decision for California. Take down the Blue Gums and allow California trees native to that area to replace them isn't neccessarily an improvement over the situation there now.

hilbert42 2y ago

As someone from Australia, I love eucalyptus trees, they're quintessentially Australian. So do most other Australians, so those here coming to their defence is not a bit surprising. I do not know to what extent the eucalyptus trees played in the Los Angeles fire and I'd suggest that at present no one does—and they won't until a proper scientific/forensic analysis has been undertaken—and with due respect to the learned people you've quoted, neither do they. The fact remains that in California our beloved eucalyptus trees are a both an invasive species and a dangerous, fire-prone hazard, and prudent thinking ought side on getting rid of them.

defrost 2y ago
> so those here coming to their defence is not a bit surprising. Who came to their defence? The debate about eucalyptus trees goes back many many decades and the fuel load management question is the big one. Take down the Blue Gums (and friends) and allow no other trees to replace them is one option, sure, that's a decision for California. Take down the Blue Gums and allow California trees native to that area to replace them isn't neccessarily an improvement over the situation there now.