Australians are being urged to brace for more catastrophic fire seasons to come because of the country’s rapidly changing climate.

Scientists have also warned climate change has already heated the planet by one degree, bringing with it the risk of more intense bushfire seasons.

The findings are part of a new expert review of scientific literature by a group of five scientists from the Australian National University and Griffith University, and headed by

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Coordinating Lead Author Professor Brendan Mackey.

The new research argues that extreme climate change conditions preceded the Black Saturday Fires in 2009, which destroyed thousands of homes and claimed 174 lives.

“Projected climate change means more extreme fire weather, especially in southeastern Australia,” Prof Mackey said.

Read the full article on the news.com.au website, featuring research co-produced by the Australian National University