Buffel grass exacerbating bushfire risks in Australia
Buffel grass, an invasive species in Australia, significantly exacerbates bushfire risks. Scientists stress the need for effective national management strategies to control its spread.
A battle is being fought in some of the most remote parts of Australia, with invasive species causing significant concern. The tall, thin weeds that many might overlook are in fact buffel grass, a highly flammable plant that fuels bushfires at an alarming rate. Scientists are looking for fire management solutions as they work to address this growing issue.
Buffel grass was introduced for pasture and has been planted for decades. With over 44,000 hectares of bushfires burning through the Northern Territory last week alone, scientist Rohan Fisher noted that this weed is likely exacerbating the spread of flames.
Fisher stated, "I am of the impression that these fires occurring close to Alice Springs last week is a combination of increased fuel loads due to several rainy years, and buffel grass certainly does seem to be increasing the spread of the fires."
Many remote areas in Australia already deal with high fuel loads, meaning large amounts of combustible material are readily available for bushfires. Compared to native species, buffel grass worsens these conditions significantly.
"Buffel grows close together and it also comes back more quickly after fire than native grass," Fisher explained. "The changing of fuel load in that sort of arid country is the issue."
The invasive species has spread so widely that it has even been located in Ashmore Reef Marine Park, 630 kilometres north of Broome. Buffel grass is now a considerable pest in the Northern Territory and South Australia, posing a major threat to biodiversity. However, it has not yet been listed as a weed of national significance, partly due to resistance from the grazing industry.
Fisher expressed concerns that the issue may have "almost been left too late now," as efforts to control its spread and diminish existing populations seem limited. "There needs to be some serious national-level thinking about what to do," he emphasised.
The 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires devastated the Australian landscape and wildlife, and Fisher noted that the bushfires in northern Australia during 2023 were even larger, burning through over 84 million hectares of desert and savannah – an area larger than New South Wales. He believes buffel grass significantly contributed to this severity. However, he cautions against attributing bushfire causes to one single factor, asserting that traditional fuel management techniques have also been affected.
