The quiet catastrophe unfolding in outback Australia after spread of invasive species

More than 44,000 hectares of Aussie land burned last week and one plant in particular is fuelling the flames.

An aerial shot of bushfires burning through arid land in central Australia.
Bushfires ripped through more than 44,000 hectares of land in central Australia last week. Source: LinkedIn/Rohan Fisher

A battle is being fought in some of the most remote parts of the country, and many of us wouldn't think twice if we saw the invasive species causing all the trouble. We would see tall, thin weeds sprouting from the dirt, but scientists know the highly flammable plant fuels bushfires at an alarming rate and are desperately trying to find fire management solutions.

The invasive species in question is buffel grass — a dense, fast-growing plant introduced for pasture and planted decades ago. With more than 44,000 hectares of bushfires burning through the Northern Territory last week alone, scientist Rohan Fisher told Yahoo News it's likely the weed only exacerbated the spread.

"I am of the impression that these fires occurring close to Alice Springs last week is a combination of increased fuel loads due to several rainy years, and buffel grass certainly does seem to be increasing the spread of the fires," he said.

Many remote areas in Australia already have high fuel loads, meaning there is a large amount of combustible material acting as fuel for bushfires. However, compared to native species, the introduced buffel grass turns the conditions from bad to worse.

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"Buffel grows close together and it also comes back more quickly after fire than native grass," Fisher explained. "The changing of fuel load in that sort of arid country is the issue."

The invasive species is so effective at spreading that it was even found in Ashmore Reef Marine Park, island land some 630 kilometres north of Broome.

Buffel grass covers a hill top (right) and sprouts up around red dirt (left).
Buffel grass is widespread throughout the Northern Territory and South Australia. Source: The Conversation

Buffel grass is now a huge pest in the Northern Territory and South Australia, and while the grass has been identified as a major threat to biodiversity, it has not yet been listed as a weed of national significance after resistance from the grazing industry.

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Fisher fears the issue has "almost been left too late now" and feels there is little hope in controlling its spread to new land or diminishing where it has already grown.

"There needs to be some serious national-level thinking about what to do," he said.

The 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires inflicted devastation to the Australian landscape and wildlife, and Fisher explained the bushfires that ripped through the country's north in 2023 were even larger. These burnt through more than 84 million hectares of desert and savannah in the Northern Territory — land larger than the size of NSW — and he believes buffel grass contributed to this. However, he is adamant about not pinning bushfires on just one thing, saying traditional and successful fuel management has been tampered with.

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