Research shows that logging, thinning and prescribed burning can increase forest flammability, challenging long-held assumptions about bushfire risk reduction.

The fire season in southern Australia is coming to a close. After yet another devastating year, a growing body of research points to an uncomfortable but critical conclusion: the way we manage vegetation and fire is not working – and in some cases, is making the problem worse.

Recent studies, including new work from Tasmania, show that logging can make forests far more flammable. Industrial logging creates dense regrowth that is highly fire-prone. This is not a new finding. Research following the 2009 Black Saturday fires and the 2019–2020 Black Summer fires has consistently shown links between logging and increased fire severity. Similar patterns are now being observed internationally.

This link between logging and fire risk reflects a broader problem. Many forms of disturbance – not just logging – trigger dense, highly flammable regrowth. It can be generated by mechanical thinning, where removing large numbers of trees........

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