Bushfires in Australia
Australian History Reference Environmental Science Earth Sciences Natural Disasters Climate Science Forestry & Fire Management
Bushfires in Australia (1986, CSIRO) is the vintage paperback that collectors, bushwalkers, and climate-history buffs keep on their “permanent shelf.” Written by two of CSIRO’s legendary fire scientists, A. G. McArthur and R. H. Luke, this 358-page illustrated reference distills decades of field data into clear explanations of how, when, and why Australian landscapes burn. First published at the tail-end of the Ash Wednesday era, the book remains the go-to source for understanding fire behaviour, fuel-load modelling, and the historic fires that shaped national policy—information still cited in today’s debates about hazard-reduction burns and climate-driven fire seasons.
What makes this copy especially attractive is its condition: light cover scuffing and occasional page-edge foxing speak to its 38-year journey, yet the interior is crisp, unmarked, and tightly bound—no ex-library stamps, no inscriptions, no dog-eared corners. The abundance of diagrams, photos, and fold-out tables is fully intact, letting readers see McArthur’s original fire-danger meters and fuel models exactly as they appeared in 1986. For students, outdoor leaders, or anyone restoring a vintage science library, that combination of completeness and wear is ideal: collectible but not fragile.
Beyond nostalgia, the content is unexpectedly current. The authors predicted the escalation of megafires in a warming continent, laid out evacuation triggers now echoed in modern emergency apps, and documented Indigenous fire practices that today inform cultural burning programs. Whether you need a trustworthy citation for a university paper, a reliable field manual for remote-area work, or simply want the authoritative back-story behind every summer’s headlines, this single volume delivers. Owning an original 1986 CSIRO printing means holding the primary source that later fire science still footnotes.
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