# Australian Colonisation Sharply Increased Wildfire Danger, Study Finds

Researchers found that the British colonisation of Australia led to a major rise in wildfire danger, likely because it disrupted Indigenous land-management practices such as controlled cultural burning. The findings suggest that centuries-old changes in how the land was managed still shape today's bushfire risk, offering lessons for modern fire prevention.

**Importance:** 3/5

## Sources

### Science
- [New Scientist](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2592220-colonisation-of-australia-led-to-big-increase-in-wildfire-danger/?utm_campaign=RSS|NSNS&utm_content=home&utm_medium=RSS&utm_source=NSNS) — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 15:00:00 +0000