climate change is making hot days hotter. It's making heatwaves more frequent and severe.

And the Climate Council confirmed that it's common for bushfires in October, but bushfires of this scale, scope and intensity are indeed uncommon.

"In Australia, climate change is influencing both the frequency and intensity of extreme heat, and may also be playing a role in the long-term drying trend in the southeast. This increases the risk of bushfires by increasing extreme fire weather," Steffen said.

According to Climate Councillor Prof. Lesley Hughes, "last summer was the hottest on record across Australia. Last September was also the hottest September on record".

And Prof. Lesley Hughes emphasized that Southeast Australia is experiencing a long-term drying trend. "This is consistent with the IPCC special report on extreme weather, which projects an increase in the number of consecutive dry days in southeast Australia," Hughes said.

Hughes also confirmed that it is crucial for the public, emergency service workers and health workers to be able to prepare for more of this type of extreme weather.

"To deny the influence of climate change on extreme fire weather, and not take appropriate action to prepare for these changed conditions, places people and property at unnecessarily high risk," Hughes added. Endi