Despite years of rain, Blue Mountains forests still haven't recovered from the Black Summer megafires
For three years before the Black Summer megafires of 2019–20, cool-season rainfall in southeastern Australia was only half the normal amount. When fires broke out, intensely dry conditions helped them spread through areas typically resistant to burning, such as wetlands and rainforests.
The Greater Blue Mountains, located west of Sydney, has experienced a mixed recovery from the Black Summer megafires that occurred between 2019 and 2020. While some areas, such as wet sclerophyll forests, have shown signs of recovery within five years, rainforests and grassy woodlands have not fully recovered. The intense rainfall following the fires made it challenging for grasses and tussocks, which are adapted to dry conditions, to re-establish.
Five years post-fire, wet sclerophyll forests and freshwater wetlands have seen declines five times greater than other plant communities. This is likely due to their need for heavy rainfall to re-establish. The unusual heavy rains after the fires may have influenced the recovery outcomes. Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and severity of such fires, making tailored fire management strategies crucial for protecting plant communities.
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