Call for ‘reputable science’ to guide national bushfire response

Australian Academy of Science says evidence base and Indigenous knowledge are crucial

Australia’s federal and state governments must rely on “reputable” scientific advice to inform policy responses to the country’s national bushfire crisis, the nation’s top science organisation has said.

The Australian Academy of Science, a peer-elected body similar to the UK’s Royal Society, has warned that policies “must extend beyond the immediate and essential need to rebuild and recover”.