Despite years of rain, Blue Mountains forests still haven’t recovered from the Black Summer megafires

Three years of below-average rainfall in southeastern Australia prior to the Black Summer megafires of 2019-2020 helped fuel fires to spread through wetlands and rainforests, typically resistant to burning. Following intense fires, three years of above-average rainfall led to rapid vegetation regrowth, but does this signify complete recovery?

A new research study examines the situation in the Greater Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, finding that wet sclerophyll forests containing tall eucalypts and ferns recovered within five years, whereas Blue Mountains rainforests and grassy woodlands did not. Satellite images were used to track plant growth, showing that while some plant species regrow rapidly, others may take years to return, complicating the assessment of true recovery.

Rare remnant rainforests, with tree species dating back to Gondwana, remained unaltered following fires of any intensity. Gusty woodlands also showed no signs of recovery, likely due to how the heavy rainfall post-fire hindered the growth of grasses and tussocks adapted to dry conditions. The study models predict that if drought conditions persisted post-fire, wet sclerophyll forests and freshwater wetlands would experience five times greater declines than other plant communities, due to their reliance on heavy rainfall for re-establishment.

To safeguard plant communities, tailored fire-management strategies must be implemented, taking into account that different communities respond uniquely to fire, with recovery outcomes varying based on post-fire conditions. Additionally, reliance on fuel-reduction burns must be reconsidered, as frequent burning increases the risk of damage to plants and animals, and ultimately, a higher risk of catastrophic fires in the face of climate change.