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Letter: Fighting fire with fire didn't really work here

Published 19 February 2025

From John Christiansen, Melbourne, Australia

You report research showing that controlled burns could cut smoke and land area affected by wildfires in California. By and large, that hasn’t worked in Australia. In an article published in 2019, three University of Melbourne academics stated: “Our research has shown controlled burning was likely to have reduced the area later burnt by bushfires in only four of 30 regions examined…(1 February, p 12)”

Issue no. 3531 published 22 February 2025

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