Calum Cunningham
@calxcunningham.bsky.social
87 followers 470 following 5 posts
Australian ecologist into wildfire, wildlife, and the wonders of nature
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Reposted by Calum Cunningham
mrrexpatrick.bsky.social
Having charged Richard Boyle for 66 offenses, tied up the courts for 6 years, spent $339,703 on external legal fees, chilled whistleblowing - with the Court refusing to convict - it’s mind-blowing the CDPP still thinks his prosecution was in the public interest. 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️ #auspol
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
rohanfisher.bsky.social
However resilient country can be built, fuels at scale can be managed. Fund the tools to monitor fuels, fund the rangers on country. Watch these fires, especially their behavior related to previous burning, on the NAFI Moblie app.
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
pyrogeog.bsky.social
It doesn't just *feel* like wildfires are becoming more catastrophic, they actually are. Led by @calxcunningham.bsky.social at Univ of Tasmania, this is a paper we started nearly 10 years ago, now in @science.org. Press release from @ucmerced.bsky.social here: news.ucmerced.edu/news/2025/wi...
Wildfire Disasters Surged in the Past 10 Years, Study Shows | Newsroom
news.ucmerced.edu
calxcunningham.bsky.social
It's bizarre. I can think of at least 3 scientific publications that predict (i.e., model) the uncontrolled explosion of deer across Tas. None of them were referred to in the report. weirdddd
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
davidshoebridge.bsky.social
Guess where former defence ministers are? 👀

The revolving door is a real obstacle to good governance and it should be SHUT.
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
andrewwilkiemp.bsky.social
Gov reaffirming salmon farming expansion in Mac Harbour shows appalling disregard for the natural environment. Obsessed with appeasing big business, they’d rather offer hollow apologies later for driving the Maugean skate to extinction than take real action now. #auspol #politas
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
weatherwest.bsky.social
For these reasons, we cannot simply look to trends in mean precipitation, or mean evaporation, to tell us anything about changes in *extreme* precipitation or evaporative demand (i.e., atmospheric "thirst"). To do so would be deeply misleading. Yet it remains common practice.
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
weatherwest.bsky.social
The discourse surrounding precipitation changes in a warming climate (both public discussion and even scientific one at times) is complicated by widespread conflation of changes in averages vs extremes (and also actual vs *potential* evaporation/evaporative demand). [Thread]
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
coopecology.bsky.social
Our new research highlights the extent that aspen stands may act as a firebreak, slowing or stopping fire. Applications for land management and implications for fire-driven conifer-to-aspen forest conversion. Thanks @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social for the summary below. doi.org/10.1002/eap....
Unburned aspen stands in contrast to blackened conifers following the 2023 Lowline fire in Colorado, USA.
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
glinley.bsky.social
I am happy to share my final PhD chapter in @oikosjournal.bsky.social

The 2019–20 wildfires altered vegetation structure yet had little effect on most species’ relative abundance. However, several species shifted their diel activity in burnt landscapes.

doi.org/10.1002/oik....

#FireEcology
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
mikeflannigan.bsky.social
Updated figure from Jain et al. showing global extreme fire weather trends since 1979. Metrics are global 95th percentile of annual Fire Weather Index (FWI), Initial Spread Index (ISI) and the Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD). The trend is clear - we are seeing more extreme fire weather due to warming.
graphs showing fire weather index (FWI), initial spread index (ISI) and vapour pressure deficit (VPD) 95th percentile trends 1979 to 2024. Updated from Jain et al. 2022 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-021-01224-1
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
pyrogeog.bsky.social
This is your regular reminder that ALL buildings in California must build to seismic codes, but only those in CALFIRE's designated high hazard areas must build to WUI fire codes.

Why the discrepancy? Who the hell knows...but it means the cycle of rebuild and burn again will continue.
lsommer.bsky.social
California just released new maps on where homes have to be built with wildfire-resistant materials. But the majority of homes destroyed in the Eaton fire won’t have to use those building codes www.npr.org/2025/03/25/n...
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
euanritchie.bsky.social
Australia’s federal election will be May 3.

If you want a safer climate & much greater protection for biodiversity, & you should because everything depends upon this, you can make that happen by preferential voting!

In this order (best to worst)

Greens/Teals & sensible Indies
Labor
LNP
ToP/PHON
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
grogsgamut.bsky.social
Live footage of Tanya Plibersek eating a giant shit sandwich and selling out Australia's environment to curry favour with foreign salmon companies that pay no tax. Bravo
Screencap of Tanya Plibersek introducing the changes to the environmental acts that will ensure that Australia's environment is shat over forever by companies because there is a profit to be made