Bridge safety at increased risk from extreme weather impacts

Climate change has significantly increased the risk of costly damage to Australia’s bridges and roads from floods, violent storms and bushfires, a national report has found.

A study by the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre says that bushfire risk is increasing due to climate change impacts such as hotter, drier conditions and higher wind speeds during the Australian summer.

It estimates that natural disasters cost the country more than $1.2 billion annually from 1967 to 2005. During this period, floods accounted for 30 per cent of damage, followed by severe storms (27 per cent) and cyclones (23 per cent).