Smoke in the air as Australia’s fire crews prepare for the return of El Niño

The Australian landscape is full of fuel following three wet La Niña summers that limited opportunities for controlled burns. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images

Last week, people living around Darwin and Brisbane could see and smell the smoke in the air. It’s an experience that will be mirrored across the country in the coming weeks as fire authorities and land managers carry out hundreds of controlled burns.

Climate change has already lengthened Australia’s fire seasons, with higher temperatures driving an increase in riskier fire weather.